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A   SEAL 

UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS, 

AND    ALL    OTHERS    WHO    REFUSE    TO    ACKNOWLEDGE 

THE  SOLE,  SUPREME,  AND  EXCLUSIVE  DIVINITY 

OF 

OUR  LORD  AND  SAYIOUR 
JESUS  CHRIST. 

CONTAINING 

ILLUSTRATIONS 

OF  ONE  HUNDRED  AND  FORTY-FOUR  PASSAGES ' 

IN  the; 

Four  Evangelists  and  the  Apocalypse^ 

IN  PROOF  THAT 

JESUS  CHRIST 

IS  THE  SUPREME  AND  ONLY  GOD  OF  HEAVEN  AND  EARTH. 


In  that  (lay  there  shall  be  one  Jehovah  and  his  name  One.     Zech.  xiv.  9, 
The  Testimony  of  Jesus  is  the  Spirit  of  Prophecy.     Apoc.  xix.  10. 


BY  ROBERT  HINDMARSH, 

J^UTHOR    OF    LETTEHS    TO     THE    LATE    DR.    PRIESTLET,     IN    DEFENCE    OF   THE    NEW  '^'^ 

JERUS-iLEl*!     DOCTRINES.       REFLECTIONS    ON     THE    UNITARIAN    AND     TRIIJITA- 
BIAN    DOCTRINES,    ScC.    &C. 


PHILADELPHIA , 


Printed  for  Johnson  Taylor,  by  Lydia  R.  Bailey, 

JN'o.  10,  JVorth  Alleij. 


1815. 


^ 


CONTENTS. 


Pagje 
ADVERTISEMENT  ...  -  -  .      i 

Preface  -  -  -  -  -  -  -    iii 

MATTHEW, 

Preliminary  Observations      -  -  -  «■  '■I 

1.  Matt.  i.  18  to  21.     The  Conception  and  Birth  of  Jesus 

Christ  -  -  -  -  -  -      S 

2.  Matt.  i.  22,  23.     Jesus  is  called  Emmanuel,  or  God 

WITH  us  -  -  -  -  -  -7 

3.  Matt.  ii.  1,  2,  11.     The  Wise  Men  from  the^East  wor- 

ship the  Infant  Jesus  -  -  ♦  -     15 

4.  Matt.  iii.  3.     John  the  Baptist  prepares  the  Way  of  Je- 

hovah, by  preparing  the  Way  of  Jesus  -  -     16 

3,  Matt.  iii.  11,  12.     John  declares  himself  not  worthy  to 

bear  the  Shoes  of  Jesus  -  -  -  -     IT 

6.  Matt.  iv.  7.     The  Devil  tempts  Jesus,  who  replies  to 

him,  "  Thou  shalt  not  tempt  the  Lord  thy  God"     -     18 

7.  Matt.  v.  21,  22 ;  27»  28 ;  31^  32;  33,  34  ;  38,  59 ;  43,  44. 

The  law  of  Jehovah  new-modelled  by  Jesus  -  ib. 

§.  Matt.  viil.  2,  3.      A   Leper   worships  Jesus,  and   is 

cleansed  -  -  -  -  -  -  20 

9.  Matt.  viii.  6  to  10,  13.    The  Centurion's  Faith  in  Jesus  21 

10.  Matt.  viii.  16.     Devils  cast  out  by  the  Word  of  Jesus  23 

11.  Matt.  viii.  23  to  27.     The  Winds  and  the  Waves  obey 

the  Voice  of  Jesus  •  *  "  '55 


CONTENTS. 

Page 

12.  Matt.  viii.  31,  22.     The  Devils  petition  Jesus  to  piermit 

tliem  to  enter  into  the  Herd  of  Swine  -  -     26 

13.  Matt.  ix.  2  to  6.     The  Paralytic  healed,  and  his  Sins 

forgiven,  by  Jesus      -  -  -  -  -     27 

14.  Matt.  ix.  18,  23,  25.     The  Ruler,  whose  Daughter  was 

restored  to  Life,  worships  Jesus         -  -  -     29 

15.  Matt.  ix.  20  to   22.     A  Woman,  having  an  Issue  of 

Blood,  comes  behind  Jesus,  and  touching  the  Hem  of 
his  Garment,  is  instantly  made  whole  -  -     G2 

16.  Matt.  ix.  27  to  SO.    Two  blind  Men,  on  confessing  their 

Faith  in  the  Power  of  Jesus,  receive  their  Sight  -     35 

17.  Matt.  X.  1.     Jesus  gives  Power  to  his  twelve  Disciples 

to  cast  out  unclean  Spirits,  and  to  heal  all  Manner  of 
Sickness  and  Disease  -  -  -  -3?' 

18.  Matt.  X.  37  to  39.     Jesus  worthy  to  be  loved  more  than 

Father  and  Mother,  Son  and  Daughter,  yea,  more 
than  Life  itself  -  -  -  -  -     38 

19.  Matt.  xi.  27.     All  Things  delivered  unto  Jesus  by  the 

Father  -  -  -  -  -  -     40 

30.  Matt.  xi.  27.  No  one  truly  and  perfectly  knows  the 
Son  Jesus,  except  the  Fatlier  himself-;  nor  does  any 
Man  know  the  Father,  except  the  Son  -  -     44 

21.  Matt,  xh  28.     Jesus  invites  the  weary  to  Himself,  and 

promises  to  give  them  Rest    -  -  -  -     45 

22.  Matt.  xii.  6.     Jesus  greater  than  the  Temple     -  -     50 

23.  Matt.  xii.  8.     Jesus,  as  the  Son  of  Man,  is  Lord  even 

of  the  Sabbath  Day     -  -  -  -  -     52 

24.  Matt.  xii.  25.     Jesus  knows  the  Thoughts  of  Men         -     5S 

25.  Matt.  xii.  31,  32.     Jesus,  in  discriminating  between 

Blasphemy  against  the  Son  of  Man,  and  Blasphemy 
against  the  Holy  Spirit,  authoritatively  announces 
what  Crime  shall,  and  what  shall  not,  be  forgiven 
unto  Men        -  -  -  -  -  -     55 

26.  Matt.  xii.  41,  42.    Jesus  greater  than  Jonas,  and  greater 

than  Solomon  -  -  -  -  -     64 

27.  Matt.  xiii.  41.     Jesus,  as  the  Son  of  Man,  sends  forth 

his  Angels  to  purify  hig  Church  and  Kingdom  -     66 


CONTENTS. 

Pagf 

28.  Matt.  xiv.  15  to  21.    Jesus,  with  only  five  Loaves  and 

two  Fishes,  supplies  a  Super-abundance  of  Food  for 
five  thousand  Men,  besides  Women  and  Cliildrea  6S 

29.  Matt.  xiv.  22,  25  to  33.    Jesus  walks  upon  the  Sea,  and 

enables  Peter  to  do  the  same,  so  long  as  he  has  Faith 
in  his  Divine  Omnipotence     -  -  -  -75 

SO.  Matt.  XV.  21  to  28.  A  Woman  of  Canaan  directs  her 
Faith,  her  Worship,  and  her  Prayer,  to  Jesus  ;  where- 
upon her  Daughter,  grievously  vexed  with  a  Devil,  is 
made  whole     -  -  -  -  -  -    78 

31.  Matt.  XV.  SO,  SI.     The  lame,  the  blind,  the  dumb,  &c. 

healed  by  Jesus;  insomuch  that  the  Multitude  won- 
dered at  his  Divine  Power,  and  glorified  the  God  of 
Israel.  Including  the  Reasons  why  Jesus  charged  his 
Disciples  and  others  not  to  publish  him  as  the  Christ     79 

32.  Matt.  xvi.  18,  19.     Jesus  gives  to  Peter,  as  a  Represen- 

tative of  Faith  in  his  Divinity,  the  Keys  of  the  King- 
dom of  Heaven  -  -  -  -  -    83 
S3.  Matt.  xvii.  1,  2.     The  Transfiguration  of  Jesus,  exhibit- 
ing a  Sight  of  his  Divine  Humanity,  and  at  the  same 
Time  of  the  Glory  of  his  Word           -             -  -     87 

34.  Matt.  xvii.  14  to  18.    A  Lunatic  healed  by  Jesus,  when 

his  Disciples  could  not  effect  the  Cure,  ^or  Want  of 
Faith  in  their  Divine  Master  -  >  -  -     97 

35.  Matt.  "xvii.  24  to  27.     Jesus  directs  Peter  to  <procure 

Tribute-Money  from  the  Mouth  of  a  Fish  to  be  taken 
out  of  the  Sea,  thus  demonstrating  his  supernatural 
Knowledge     -  -  -  -  -  -    99 

36.  Matt,  xviii.  19.     Jesus  declares  his  Divine  Omnipre- 

sence, by  assuring  his  Disciples,  that  wheresoever  two 
or  three  are  gathered  together  in  his  Name,  there  he 
is  in  the  Midst  of  them  .  .  -  .  ]01 

37.  Matt.  xix.  16  to  22.     Jesus,  on  being  called  Good  Mas- 

ter, refuses  not  the  Appellation,  but  after  suggesting 
an  Inquiry  into  the  Reason  for  so  naming  him,  con- 
cludes with  declaring  himself  to  be  the  Supreme  Good, 
alone  worthy  of  Man's  Pursuit  -  lOS 


CONTENTS. 

Page 

38.  Matt.  XX.  30  to  34.    Two  blind  Men  pray  to  Jesus,  and 

being  rebuked  by  the  Multitude,  renew  their  Prayers 
with  still  greater  Importunity,  until  their  Eyes  are 
opened  by  his  Divine  Hand     -  -  -  -  111 

39.  Matt.  xxi.  1  to  5.     Jesus,  on  commissioning  two  of  his 

Disciples  to  bring  him  an  Ass  with  her  Colt,  discovers 
a  Knowledge  and  Foresight  plainly  supernatural       -  115 

40.  Matt.  xxi.  18  to  20.     The  Divine  Omnipotence  of  Jesus 

exemplified  in  the  Case  of  the  Fig-tree,  which  wither- 
ed away  at  his  Word  -  -  -  -     117 

41.  Matt.  xxi.  23  to  27.    Jesus,  by  refusing  to  acknowledge 

any  superior  Authority,  under  which  he  acted,  plainly 
enough  teaches,  that  his  Authority  was  self-derived, 
and  consequently  that  He  Himself  is  God     -  -  123 

42.  Matt.  xxi.  42.    The  Stone,  (i.  e.  Jesus,)  rejected  by  the 

Builders,  is  now  become  the  Head  of  the  Corner        -  129 

43.  Matt.  xxii.  41  to  46.     Jesus  puts  the  Question  to  the 

Pharisees,  How  can  Christ  be  the  Son  of  David, 
when  at  the  same  Time  David  calls  him  his  Lord  ? 
plainly  instructing  us  concerning  the  Distinction  be- 
tween the  infirm  and  the  Divine  Humanity    -  -  13o 

44.  Matt,  xxiii.  34.     Jesus  sends  Prophets,  Wise  Men,  and 

Scribes,  into  the  Church ;  thus  proving  that  he  is  the 
God  of  the  Church      -  -  -  -  -139 

45.  Matt.  xxiv.  55.     The  Words  of  Jesus  more  durable 

than  Heaven  and  Earth  -  -  -  r  141 

46^  Matt,  xxviii.  9.     The  Disciples  worship  Jesus  after  his 

Resurrection  .  .  >  .  .  145 

47.  Matt,  xxviii.  18.     Jesus  declares,  that  he  possesses  all 

Power  in  Heaven  and  in  Earth  -  .  .  14^' 

48.  Matt,  xxviii.  19,  20.    Jesus  inculcates  the  Doctrine  of  a 

Divine  Trinity,  not  of  Persons,  but  of  Essentials  in 
his  own  Person;  and  at  the  same  Time  teaches  his  Di- 
vine Omnipresence.  -  -  -  -  153 


CONTENTS, 

Pagb 

MARK. 

Preliminary  Observations      -  -  .  -  .  159 

49.  Mark  i.  £3,  24.    An  unclean  Spirit  acknowledges  Jesus 

to  be  the  Holy  One  of  God      -  -  -  -  161 

50.  Mark  vii.  37.    Jesus  is  declared  to  have  done  all  Things 

well    -  -  -  -  -  -  -    ib. 

51.  Mark  xiv.  12  to  16.     Jesus,  on  sending  two  of  his  Dis- 

ciples to  make  ready  the  Passover,  foretels,  even  as  to 
tlie  most  minute  Circumstances,  what  would  occur  to 
them  while  on  that  Errand     -  -  -  -  162 

52.  Mark  xiv.  18.     Jesus  foretels,  that  one  of  his  Disciples 

(Judas  Iscariot)  would  betray  him      -  -  -  163 

53.  Mark  xiv.  27  to  31.     Jesus  foretels,  that  all  his  Disci- 

ples would  be  offended  because  of  him,  and  that  Peter 

in  particular  would  deny  him  thrice  in  one  Night       -  164 

54.  Mark  xvi.  17,  18.     Jesus  gives  Power  to  Believers  to 

cast  out  Devils,  to  speak  with  new  Tongues,  to  take 
up  Serpents,  to  drink  any  deadly  Thing  with  Impuni- 
ty, and  to  heal  the  sick  -  -  -  -    ib. 

LUKE.  I 

Preliminary  Observations      -  -  -  -  -  16."; 

55.  Luke  i.  17.     John  the  Baptist  precedes  Jehovah,  i.  e. 

Jesus,  in  the  Spirit  and  Power  of  Elias  -  -    ib. 

56.  Luke  i.  41.     Elizabeth  filled  witli  the  Holy  Spirit,  on 

hearing  the  Salutation  of  Mary  now  pregnant  with 
the  Child  Jesus 166 

57.  Luke  ii.  11.    Jesus  at  his  Birth  is  declared  by  an  Angel 

to  be  a  Saviour,  which  is  Christ  the  Lord  -  -  167 

58.  Luke  ii.  42  to  50.    Jesus  at  twelve  Years  of  Age  found 

in  the  Temple,  in  the  midst  of  the  Doctors,  pursuing 
not  his  supposed,  but  his  real  Father's  Business.  In- 
cluding a  Discussion  of  tlie  Question,  How  he  could  be 
ihc  Father^  to  whom  all  Things  were  known,  when  at 


CONTENTS. 

Page 
the  same  Time  he  was  the  Son,  to  whom  some  Thinjjs 
were  unknown  ?          -  -  -  -  -  168 

59.  Luke  v.  4  to  6.     Jesus  directs  Simon  and  his  Compa- 

nions to  launch  out  into  the  Deep,  and  let  down  their 
Nets ;  whereupon  they  inclose  a  great  Number  of 
Fishes  ......  17-5 

60.  Luke  vii.  11  to  15.     Jesus  raises  from  the  dead  a  young 

Man,  the  Son  of  a  Widow      -  .  -  .  176 

61.  Luke  viii.  38,  39.    Jesus,  after  casting  a  Legion  of  De- 

vils out  of  a  Man,  tells  him  to  shew  how  great  Things 
God,  i.  e.  Himself,  had  done  unto  him         -  -     ib. 

62.  Luke  viii.  49  to  55.     Jesus  raises  a  young  Maiden  from 

Death,  and  calls  her  Spirit  back  again  -  -  177 

63.  Luke  ix.  38  to  43.    Jesus  rebukes  and  casts  out  an  un- 

clean Spirit  from  a  Child,  which  his  Disciples  were 
unable  to  do  -  -  -  -  -  -  179 

64.  Luke  x.  17  to  19.     Jesus  gives  the  seventy  Power  to 

tread  on  Serpents  and  Scorpions,  and  over  all  the 
Power  of  the  Enemy  -  -  -  -    ib. 

65.  Luke  xi.  20.     Jesus  casts  out  Devils  with  the  Finger  of 

God,  that  is,  by  his  own  Power  .  -  .  ISQ 

66.  Luke  xii.  8,  9.     The  Confession  of  Jesus  before  Men 

will  be  rewarded  before  Angels ;  while  the  Denial  of 
him  will  be  punished  by  Exclusion  from  Heaven         -  181 

67.  Luke  xvii.  12  to  19.     Ten  Lepers  cleansed,  of  whom 

only  one  returned  to  glorify  God,  by  giving  Thanks  to 
Jesus.  Including  a  great  Variety  of  Cases,  wherein 
Jesus  is  expressly  called  God  ,  .  .  182 

68.  Luke  xviii.  16.    Jesus  invites  little  Children  to  come 

unto  him ;  and  thus  teaches,  that  Access  to  him  in 
the  Spirit  of  Innocence  and  Humility  qualifies  for  the 
Kingdom  of  Heaven  -  -  -  -  .  I8& 


CONTEKl^l 

JOHN. 

Page 
Preliminary  Observations      -  -  -  -  -  187 

69.  John  i.  1,  3,  10,  14.   God  is  declared  to  be  the  Word,  or 

the  Divine  Truth,  which  was  made  Flesh,  i.  e.  in  the 
Person  of  Jesus  -  -  -  -  -    ib, 

70.  John  i.  18.     No  mere  Man  hath  seen  God ;  but  the  only- 

begotten  Son,  i.  e.  Jesus,  hath  both  seen  bim,  and 
made  him  manifest     -  -  -  -  -  188 

71.  John  ii.  24,  25.     Jesus  knows  all  Men,  and  needs  no 

Testimony  concerning  Man,  because  he  knows  what 

is  in  Man        --..-.  xS9 

72.  John  iii.  13.     Jesus,  as  the  Son  of  Man,  is  both  in  Hea- 

ven and  on  Earth  at  the  same  Time  -  -  .  190 

73.  John  iii.  31.     Jesus,  who  came  from  above,  is  above  all, 

and  therefore  must  be  God     -  -  -  -  191 

74.  John  iii.  34.     Jesus  receives  the  Spirit  not  by  Measure, 

or  partially,  but  in  all  it's  Fulness,  that  is,  infinitely 

or  without  Limitation  .  _  .  .  192 

75.  John  iii.  35.   The  Father  gives  all  Things  into  the  Hands 

of  the  Son  Jesus         -  •  -  -  -    ib. 

76.  John  iii.  36.     Faith  in  the  Son,  that  is,  in  Jesus,  secures 

everlasting  Life  --.-,-  194 

77.  John  iv.  14.     Jesus  gives  the  Water  of  everlasting  Life     ib. 

78.  John  V.  17,  18.     Jesus  makes  himself  equal  with  God  -  195 

79.  John  V.  26.    Jesus  the  Son  hath  Life  in  himself,  in  like 

Manner  as  the  Father  hath     -  -  -  -  197 

80.  John  V.  40.    Jesus  complains,  that  Men  will  pot  come 

to  him  for  Life  -----    Wy, 

81.  John  vi.  46.     Jesus  aloite  hath  seen  the  Father  -  198 
f82.  John  vi.  51  to  54.    Jesus  is  the  living  Bread,  that  came 

down  from  Heaven     -  -  -  ■►  -    ib. 

83.  John  yi.  63.     The  Words  of  Jesus  are  Spirit  and  Life     199 

84.  John  vi.  64.     Jesus  knew  from  the  Beginning  who  were 

Unbelievers,  and  who  would  betray  him         -  -    ib. 

85.  John  vi.  67,  68.     Jesus  has  the  Words  of  eternal  Life     200 

b 


CONTENTS. 

Pagbi 

86.  John  vii.  IS.     Jesus  is  true,  and  no  Unrighteousness  is 

in  him 200 

87.  John  A'ii.  ST,  58.     Jesus  invites  the  thirsty  to  come  unto 

him,  and  promises  to  supply  them  with  living  Water    202 

88.  John  vii.  46.     Never  Man  spake  like  the  Divine  Man 

Jesus  -  -  -  -  -  -  204 

89.  John  viii.  19.     To  the  Pharisees,  -who  inquired  of  Jesus 

concerning  his  Father,  he  replies,  that  tliey  knew  not 
his  Father,  because  they  knew  not  him  -  -  206 

00.  John  viii.  24.     The  Necessity  of  believing,  that  Jesus  is 

the  Great  I  Am  .....  20r 

91.  John  viii.  46.     Jesus  declares  himself  to  be  free  from 

Sin.  Including  an  Inquiry  into  the  Reason  why  the 
City  Jerusalem  is  called  Jehovah  our  Righteous- 
ness -  -  -  -  -  -  208 

92.  John  viii.  58.     The  Pre-e:dr-tence  of  Jesus  before  Abra- 

ham, yet  in  a  Way  that  bears  no  Relation  to  the  vSuc- 
cessions  of  Time.  Including,  a  Key  to  the  Temple  of 
Wisdom,  shewing  the  Difference  between  genuine 
and  apparent  Truths  ....  oq^). 

93.  John  X.  14,  16.     Jesus  claims  to  be  the  One  Good  Shep- 

herd, equally  with  Jehovah  ...  216 

94.  John  X.  15,  18.     Jesus  lays  down  his  Life  of  his  own 

Accord,  and  takes  it  again  by  his  own  Power  -  218 

95.  John  X.  27  to  SO.   Jesus  declares  himself  to  be  the  Giver 

of  eternal  Life,  and  expressly  identifies  himself  with 
his  Father       -  -  -  -  -  -     ib. 

96.  John  X.  33.     Jesus,  being  a  Man,  makes  himself  God    -  219 

97.  John  xi.  25,  26.     Jesus  is  the  Resurrection  and  the  Life  222 
08.  John  xi.  32.     The  Presence  of  Jesus  a  Security  against 

Death  -  -  -  -  -  -  223 

99.  John  xi.  43,  44.     Jesus  raises  Lazarus  from  the  dead    -     ib. 
JOO.  Johnxii.32.     Jf.sus,  when  lifted   up  from   tlie  Earth, 
that  is,  when  glorified,  and  acknowledged  to  be  wholly 
Divine,  draws  all  his  Children  unto  himself  -  -  224 

101.  John  xii.  37,  58.     The  Jews  condoitmed  for  not  believ- 


CONTENTS. 

Page 
ing  Jesus  to  be  the  very  Arm  (or  fiumanity)  of  Je- 
hovah .-.--.  226 

102.  John  xii.  44,  45.     Faith  in  Jesus  is   at  the  same  Time 

Faith  in  the  Father     -  -  -  -  ^  22?" 

103.  John  xiii.  13.     Jesus  proclaims  himself  our  Master  and 

Lord  -  -  -  -  -  -  231 

104.  John  xiv.  1.     Jesus  enjoins  his  Disciples  to  l)elieve  in 

God,  and  also  in  Him  ....  232 

105.  John  xiv.  6.     Jesus  the  Way,  the  Truth,  and  the  Life  235 

106.  John  xiv.  7  to  9.     Jesus  instructs  Philip,  that   whoso- 

ever sees  him,  at  the  same  time  sees  the  Father  -  236 

1,07.  John  xiv.  13,  14.  Jesus  promises  to  answer  Prayer, 
"when  offered  in  his  Name,  that  is,  when  directed  im- 
mediately to  him,  under  an  Acknowledgment  that  the 
Father  is  in  him,  as  the  Soul  is  in  the  Body  -  -  239 

108.  John  xiv.  16  to  18.     Jesus  identifies  himself  with  the 

Comforter,  though  at  the  same  Time  he  distinguishes 
between  his  Presence  in  Person,  and  his  Presence  in 
the  vSpirit  of  Truth     -  -  -  -  -241 

109.  John  XV.  5.     The  Ability  of  Man  to  do  any  Thing  is 

entirely  derived  from  Jesus  ...  243 

110.  John  XV.  23,  24.     Jesus  declares,  that  whosoever  hat- 

eth  him,  hateth  his  Father  also  ;  and  that,  he  and  the 
Father  being  one,  he  bad  therefore  done  such  Works, 
as  no  other  Man  ever  did        ...  -  244 

111*  John  xvi.  8,  9.     Jesus  says,  the  Comforter  will  reprove 

the  World  of  Sin,  because  they  believe  not  on  him     -     ib. 

112.  John  xvi.  14.     The  Spirit  of  Truth  glorifies  Jesus,  in- 

asmuch as  it  receives  of  his,  that  is  to  say,  because  it 
proceeds  entirely  from  him     ....  247 

113.  John  xvi.  15.     All  Things  belonging  to  the  Father  are 

the  Property  of  Jesus  ....  248 

114.  John  xvii.  3.     Life  eternal  consists  in  knowing  the  Fa- 

ther and  Jesus  Christ  the  Son  ...  249 

1-15.  John  xvii.  5.  The  Glorification  of  Jesus  is  his  Union 
with  the  Father,  or  pure  Divinity,  such  as  it  was  be- 
fore the  World  existed  .  -  -  -  254 


CONTENTS. 

Pack 

116.  John  xvii.  10.     All  Things  belonging  to  the  Father  are 

the  Property  of  Jesus,  and  all  Things  belonging  to 
Jesus  are  the  Property  of  the  Father ;  or,  in  other 
Words,  the  wliole  Divinity  is  Humanized,  and  the 
whole  Humanity  is  Divinized,  mutually  and  recipro- 
cally   --...-.  25r' 

117.  John  xviii.  S3,  36,  37.     Jesus  acknowledges  himself  to 

be  a  King,  though  his  Kingdom  is  not  of  this  World. 
Including  a  Discussion  of  the  Question,  Whether  Je- 
sus will  ever  give  up  the  Kingdom  to  the  Father,  that 
God  may  be  all  in  all  -  -  -  -  258^ 

118.  John  XX.  22,  23.     Jesus  breathes  upon  his  Disciples 

the  Holy  Spirit,  and  gives  them  Power  to  remit  or  re- 
tain Sins         --..--  270 

119.  John  XX.  28,  29.     Thomas  acknowledges  Jesus  to  be 

his  Lord  and  his  God  .  .  .  ,  272 

120.  John  xxi.  25.     The  World  incapable  of  containing  the 

Books,  that  should  be  written,  were  all  the  Acts  of 
Jesus  to  be  particularly  described      -  -  -  273 

THE  APOCALYPSE. 

Preliminary  Observations      -----  277 

121.  Apoc.  i.  6.     Glory  and  Dominion  are  ascribed  to  Jesus 

Christ  -  -  -  -  -  -     ib. 

122.  Apoc.  i.  10  to  18.     A  Description  of  Jesus  as  the  Son 

OF  Man  in  the  Midst  of  the  seven  golden  Candle- 
sticks, similar  to  that  of  the  Ancient  of  Days  by  the 
Prophet  Daniel  -----  279 

123.  Apoc.  ii.  7.   To  him  that  overcometh  Jesus  gives  to  eat 

of  the  Tree  of  Life     -  -  -  -  -  283 

124.  Apoc.  ii.  10.     Jesus  promises  to  give  to  the  faithful  a 

Crown  of  Life  _  -  .  .  .  285 

125.  Apoc.  ii.  17.     Jesus  gives  to  eat  of  the  hidden  ISIanna  286. 

126.  Apoc.  ii.  21  to  23.     Jesus  gives  the  Woman  Jezebel, 

or  the  perverted  Church,  Space  to  repejit ;  and,  being 


CONTENTS. 

Pags 
the  Searcher  of  all  Hearts,  will  deal  with  every  one 
according  to  his  Works  -  .  -  .  287 

127.  Apoc.  V.  12  to  14.     Jesus,  or  tl?e  Lamb,  is  accounted 

worthy  to  receive  all  Honour,  in  common  with  Him 
that  sitteth  upon  the  Tiirone  -  -  -  289 

128.  Apoc.  vi.  16, 17.   Jesus,  or  the  Lamb,  equally  with  the 

Lord  God  Almighty,  is  an  Object  of  Dread  to  the 
wicked  -  -  -  -  -  -  293 

129.  Apoc.  vii.  9  to  12.     An  universal  Glorification  in  Hea- 

ven, ascribing  Salvation  to  God  and  the  Lamb  -  295 

130.  Apoc.  vii.  15  to  17.     God  and   the   Lamb   equally  the 

Source  of  Comfort  and  Happiness  in  Heaven  -     ib. 

131.  Apoc.  xi.  15.     The  Kingdoms  of  the  World  are  become 

the  Kingdoms  of  our  Lord,  and  of  his  Christ  -  296 

132.  Apoc.  xii.  10.     Now  is  come  the  Kingdom  of  our  God, 

and  the  Power  of  his  Christ  -  -  -302 

133.  Apoc.  xiv.  4.     The  hundred  and  forty -four  thousand 

follow  the  Lamb   whithersoever  he  goeth,  being  the 
First-Fruits  unto  God  and  the  Lamb  -  -  303 

134.  Apoc.  xvii.  14.     The  Lamb  is  the  Lord  of  Lords,  and 

King  of  Kings  -  -  -  -  -  304 

135.  Apoc.  xix.  7,  9.     The  Marriage  of  the  Lamb  with  his 

Church  is  a  Source  of  Joy,  and  the  Occasion  of  giving 
Honour  to  the  Lord  God  OmnTpotent         -  -  306 

136.  Apoc  xix.  10.     The  Testimony  of  Jesus  is  the  Spirit  of 

Prophecy.  Including  Remarks  on  those  Books,  which 
are  of  Divine  Authority  in  the  Church  -  -  307 

137.  Apoc.  xix.  11  to  16.     A  Description  of  Jesus,  applica- 

ble both  to  his  Person  and  to  his  Word  ;  he  being  in 
each  Respect  called  King  of  Kings,  and  Lord  of  Lords  313 

138.  Apoc.  xxi.  6,  7.     Jesus  declares  himself  to  be  Alpha 

and  Omega,  the  Beginning  and  the  End,  the  Giver  of 
Life,  and  the  Supreme  God     -  -  -  -  316 

139.  Apoc.  xxi.  22,  23.     The  Lord   God  Almightv  and 

the  Lamb  are  together  the  Temple  of  the  New  Jeru- 
salem -  '  -  -  -  3IS 


CONTENTS^,: 

Pack 
140.  Apoc.  xxi.  27.    The  Sacred  Scripture  is  called  the 

Lamb's  Book  of  Life  -  -  -  -320 

14L  Apoc.  xxii.  1.     A  River  of  Water  of  Life  proceeds 

equally  from  the  Throne  of  God  and  of  the  Lamb      -  321 

142.  Apoc.  xxii.  3,  4.   The  Throne  of  God  and  of  the  Lamb 

is  one  and  the  same  Throne,  because  both  Names  de- 
note only  one  and  the  same  Divine  Being       -  -  323 

143.  Apoc.  xxii.  12,  13.     Jesus  announces  his  Second  Ad- 

vent in  the  Character  of  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  Begin- 
ning and  the  End,  the  First  and  the  Last       -  -  326 

144.  Apoc.  xxii.  16.     Jesus  sends  his  Angel  to  testify  these 

Things  in  the  Churches  -  -  -  .  -  330 

Conclusion    -------  335 

Concluding  Testimonies  from  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  in  Pi-oof 
of  the  sole,  supreme,  and  exclusive  Divinity  of  our 
Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ        -  .  .  340 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


THE  great  Question  concerning  the  Person  and  Cha- 
racter of  Jesus  Christ,  has  long  agitated  the  Christian 
Church ;  and  never  was  the  puhlic  Mind  more  earnestly  en- 
gaged in  the  Inquiry,  than  it  has  been  of  late,  and  indeed 
still  continues  to  be.  Nay,  we  do  not  hesitate  to  declare  our 
Conviction,  that  from  this  Date  a  new  and  still  deeper  Inter- 
est in  every  Thing  that  bears  upon  the  Subject,  will  be  ex- 
cited among  religious  Professors  of  every  Denomination. 
For  henceforth  the  Question  will  be,  not  as  in  Times  past, 
Whether  the  Saviour  of  the  World  be,  or  be  not,  a  mere 
Participator  in  the  Divine  Nature,  in  common  with  two  other 
supposed  Persons,  who  have  equal  Claims  to  it  with  himself; 
but  as  it  always  ought  to  have  been.  Whether  lie  be,  or  be 
not,  the  SolCf  the  Whole,  or  the  Supreme  God  of  the  Universe 
himself.  This  is  the  true  and  proper  Question,  which  is  now 
put  to  the  Public,  to  every  Man  that  calls  himself  a  Chris- 
tian, to  the  Reader  of  this  Address  in  particular.  And  he 
is  called  upon,  in  the  first  Place,  to  reflect  seriously  in  his 
own  Mind,  whether  there  can  by  any  Possibility  be  more 
than  One  God,  One  proper  Object  of  Worship,  and  consequent- 
ly One  Divine  Person  upon  the  Throne  of  Heaven.  In  the 
next  Place,  let  him  consult  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  to  see 
whether  Jesus  Christ  be,  or  be  not,  this  One  Supreme  God. 
And,  lastly,  if  he  cannot,  with  all  the  Aids  hitherto  put  in 
his  Way,  obtain  a  full,  clear,  and  satisfactory  View  of  the 
Subject,  not  only  consistent  with  the  Divine  Unity  both  as 
to  Essence  and  as  to  Form,  which  must  never  be  sacrificed 
to  any  human  Invention,  but  consistent  also  Avith  tlie  various 
Passages,  which  at  one  Time  distinguish  between  the  Fa- 


fi  ADVERTISEMENT. 

Iher  and  the  Son  apparently  as  heo,  and  at  another  Time 
identity  them  most  evidently  as  One;  then  let  him  read  ihis 
Work,  which  is  now  providentially  submitted  to  his  Notice^ 
as  a  humble  Medium  of  convejing  to  his  Mind  the  true  An- 
swer to  the  great  Question  above  stated  ;  inasmueh  as  it  un- 
folds, in  a  Way  accommodated  to  the  plainest  Capacity,  the 
genuine,  undoubted  Sense  of  Divine  Revelation,  on  that  most 
important  of  all  Subjects,  the  Knowledge  and  Worship  of  the 
TRUE  GOD. 


PREFACE. 


THE  question  concerning  the  divinity  of  our  Lord  and 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ  has  in  all  ages  of  the  church,  since 
the  times  of  Arius  and  the  Council  of  Nice,  divided  the  opi- 
nions of  professing  Christians.  By  far  the  majority  of  these, 
wlicther  as  Catholics  or  as  Protestants,  have  adopted  the 
idea  of  a  Trinity  of  divine  persons  in  the  Godhead,  all  exist- 
ing from  eternity,  hut  (what  is  singular  enough)  never  once 
heard  of,  either  among  Jews  or  Christians,  until  some  hun- 
dred years  had  elapsed  after  the  Sacred  Scriptures  were 
written  and  published.  The  first  person  in  rank  they  call 
the  Father^  the  second  the  Son,  and  the  third  the  Holy 
GJiost.  By  the  Son,  whom  they  suppose  to  have  existedyrom 
eternity,  in  common  with  the  other  two  persons,  they  under- 
stand Jesus  Christ,  not  indeed  as  to  his  human  nature,  for 
this  they  allow  to  have  been  born  in  time,  but  only  as  to  his 
divine  nature,  which  they  consider  to  be  as  complete  a  per- 
son in  itself,  as  the  divine  nature  of  either  the  F'ather  or  the 
Holy  Ghost.  But  it  is  observable,  that,  besides  the  divine 
person  of  the  Son,  which  they  say  existed  from  eternity,  they 
give  to  Jesus  another  ycrsoUf  which  was  born  in  time,  and 
is  merely  human.  And  these  two  persons,  the  human  and  the 
divine,  they  actually  separate  the  one  from  the  other,  plac- 
ing the  divine  not  within  the  human,  but  out  of  and  above  it. 
And  thus  they  first  of  all  divide  their  God  iuto  three  parts 
called  persons,  and  then,  in  order  to  make  a  Saviour  nf  the 
second  part  or  person,  they  provide  for  him  another  addition- 
al person,  consisting  of  mere  flesh  and  blood,  capable  of  re- 
ceiving and  suffering  the  supposed  vengeance  and  fierce  in- 
dignation of  the  first  divine  person,  and  &o  atoning  in  body 


iv  PREFACE. 

alone,  for  the  sins  of  others  comiuitteil  in  spirit  and  body  to- 
gether ! 

Such,  in  a  few  words,  is  the  preTiosterous  faith  or  doctrit^e 
concerning  the  person  or  rather  persons  of  Jesus  Christ, 
which  is  held  by  Trinitarians,  Avho  compose  the  great  body  of 
Christians(so  called.)  If  they  be  asked,  wliether  the  addition- 
alperson  born  in  time,  crucified,  and  raised  from  the  dead, 
be  possessed  of  divine  attributes,  such  as  omnipotence,  omni- 
science, and  omnipresence  ;  the  orthodox  and  learned  among 
them  will  unanimously  answer  in  the  negative;  because 
they  consider  the  risen  body  of  Jescs  to  be  still  material,  as 
before.  And  if  the  inquiry  be  continued  relative  to  the 
place,  where  this  material  body  is  now  supposed  to  be,  the 
question  will  be  thought  captious,  and  no  answer  whatever 
will  be  given  to  it,  except  what  is  contained  in  the  Kubrick 
at  the  end  of  the  communion-service  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land. 

But  there  is  another  description  of  nominal  Christians, 
who  have  long  raised  their  voices  against  such  an  extraor- 
dinary medley  of  opinion,  though  themselves  are  not  a  whit 
nearer  the  truth  of  revelation  than  the  former,  if  indeed  they 
are  so  near.  And  these  are  called  Unitarians,  on  account 
of  their  professing  to  believe  in  only  One  God,  and  rejecting 
the  idea  of  a  Trinity  of  divine  persons.  But  not  being  agreed 
among  themselves  about  the  person  of  Jesus,  they  may  pro- 
perly be  divided  into  two  classes,  called  Jlrians  and  Socini- 
ans. 

The  tRrian  Unitarians  are  those  among  them,  who  admit 
the  pre-existence  of  Jesus  in  heaven,  long  before  his  birth 
in  the  world :  and  consequently  these  allow  him  to  be  more 
than  a  mere  man.  Nay,  they  will  even  acknowledge  him  to 
be  of  higher  dignity  and  authority,  than  any  angel.  But 
still  they  consider  him  to  be  only  a  creature  like  others, 
though  the  first  that  came  out  of  the  creating  hands  of  his 
God,  and  the  distinguished  person,  by  whose  instrumentality 


PREFACP..  V 

the  heavens,  the  earth,  and  all  things  therein,  were  original- 
l^^  brought  into  existence.  Hence  they  place  him  at  the 
head  of  creation,  and  suppose  him  qualified  to  superintend 
and  govern  the  whole,  in  the  name  and  on  the  hehalf  of  the 
great  God  his  Master  and  Make. 

The  Socinian  Unitarians^  on  the  other  hand,  are  proper- 
ly those,  who  consider  Jesus  to  have  had  no  existence  till 
his  birth  in  the  world;  who  suppose  him  to  be  a  mere  man 
like  themselves,  the  real  son  of  Joseph  and  Mary,  and  con- 
sequently as  having  no  claims,  by  birth  or  descent,  superior 
to  those  of  any  other  human  being. 

As  before  observed,  both  of  these  classes  take  the  nami} 
of  Unitarians  :*  and  though  they  differ  with  each  other  re- 
specting the  rank  or  quality  of  Jesus  in  the  scale  of  existence, 
they  are  perfectly  agreed  in  this,  that  he  possesses  in  himself 
nothing  of  the  character  of  a  Divine  Being ,  nothing  of  the  real 

•  It  is  observable,  that  the  Utiitarians  begin  now  to  be  actually  ashamed  of 
receiving  their  denomination  from  any  mere  man,  except  Indeed  the  mere  man 
Jesus  Christ,  whose  name  they  have  not  as  yet  thrown  off,  whatever  they  may 
think  proper  to  do  hereafter.  And  truly  there  seems  to  be  no  sufficient  rea- 
son why  the  name  of  one  mere  man  may  not  be  dropped,  as  well  as  that  of 
■another.  But  let  us  hear  the  argument  on  this  point  as  out  of  the  mouth  of 
an  Unitarian  himself. — "  Anius  and  Socinus  were  both  mere  men .-  Must!  take 
"my  religious  denomination  from  thenameof  either  of  ihem,  merely  because 
"  I  happen  to  approve  of  the  doctrines,  generally  speaking,  which  they  taught .'" 
An  intelligent  Unitarian  puts  this  question  to  himself:  and  he  immediately 
answers,  "  No  ;  my  denomination  shall  have  some  reference  to  the  religious 
"principles  I  have  embraced,  and  not  to  the  man,  the  mere  instrument  or  chan- 
"  nel,  through  whom  they  have  come  to  me  :  it  shall  bear  some  respect  to  the 
"  Great  Object  of  my  worship,  the  Supreme  God  himself,  and  not  to  any  of 
"  his  ministers,  messengers,  or  humble  servants.  I  will  therefore  take  and  hold 
"  to  the  name  of  Unitarian,  because  this  involves  the  chief  characteristic  of 

"my  religious  profession — the  acknowledgment  of  One  God  alone." "Pla- 

"  to,  thou  reason'st  well !"  Xow  let  us  hear  the  grounds  of  thy  assuming  the 
name  of  Christian  ;  seeing  that,  according  to  thy  creed,  Jesus,  like  Arius 
and  SociNcs,  is  b^u  a  man  !  or  at  best  bat  a  finite  creature  !  Wilt  thou  stand 

to  thy  former  argument  ? No  answer.  "Again  we  put  the  question. 

■     "But  he  refuses  to  reply  ! ! ! 


Vl  PREFACE. 

perfection  of  a  self  existent  Deitii,  being  at  best  no  other  than 
a  mere  creature,  depending  cver^y  moment  for  his  existence  on 
the  good-pleasine  of  his  I)ountiful  Creator.  The  distinction, 
therefore,  between  the  one  and  the  other  of  these  two  eh\ss- 
es  of  Unitarians,  amounts  to  no  more  than  tliat,  which  dis- 
criminates the  insect  with  wings  of  variegated  beauty,  from 
the  insect  that  has  none  at  all  :  the  one  is  adorned  w  ith  all  the 
colours  of  the  rainbow,  and  can  fly  aloft  into  the  air,  as  into 
it's  proper  heaven  ;  w  hile  the  other,  totally  destitute  of  the 
power  to  raise  itself  above  the  ground,  is  doomed  to  crawl 
upon  it's  native  earth.     But  still,  however  splendid  and  gay 
the  one,  and  however  mean  and  grovelling  the  other,  they 
are  both  equally  worms,  notwithstanding  their  varied  ap- 
pearance, which  may  be  considered  as  a  distinction  in  foriUf 
without  a  difference  in  essence.     So,  comparatively  speaking, 
while  the  Socinian  Unitarian  degrades  the  Saviour  of  the 
world  to  his  own  rank  of  mere  humanity,  and  thus  strips  him 
of  his  power,  as  well  as  of  his  glory,  his  Jlrian  brother  is 
considerate  enough  to  deck  him  «ut  in  an  exterior  garb  of 
super-angelic  beauty,  but  still  admonishes  him  of  his  borrow- 
ed plumes  and  his  original  nothingness.* 

Thus  the  two  classes  of  Unitarians,  after  setting  out  to- 
gether in  good  fellowship  on  a  long  and  tedious  journey, 
but  differing  with  each  other  on  the  road,  in  a  dark  and 
dreary  night  part  company  at  the  entrance  of  a  black  forest, 
where  losing  and  bewildering  themselves  in  \heir  respective 
paths,  they  at  length  meet  again,  as  by  accident  ,•  and  having 
saluted  each  other  with  tokens  of  returning  friendship,  mu- 
tually agree  to  travel  the  remainder  of  the  way  hand  in  hand. 

*  In  a  conversation,  which  the  Auliior  had,  in  his  own  house  in  London, 
with  the  late  Dr.  Prikstlet,  on  this  very  subject,  and  in  which  he  described 
the  difierence  between  .drianism  and  Socinianism  in  a  way  similar  to  the  above, 
the  Doctor  acknowledged  tlie  justness  of  the  comparison,  and  admitted,  that 
botli  doctrines  \\it\c  finnlamentally  the  same  ;  although,  as  a  zealous  profes- 
sor of  Hocinianism,  he  had  warmly  opposed  the  system  of  Anros, 


PREFACE.  vii 

But  being  wearied  almost  to  death,  and  still  perceiving  no 
light  to  guide  their  steps,  except  what  is  furnished  every 
now  and  then  by  transient  meteors  and  flying  exhalations, 
they  sit  down  in  anxious  expectation  of  day -light,  but  in  the 
mean  time  fall  fast  asleep ;  in  which  situation  and  deplora- 
ble condition  they  still  continue,  even  after  the  rising  of  the 
sun.  But  we  have  at  last  found  them,  before  it  was  too 
late;  and  shall  now  endeavour,  with  the  trumpet  we  carry 
in  our  hand,  to  rouse  them  out  of  their  dangerous  lethargy : 
and  while  we  put  a  seal  upon  their  lips,  we  will  do  our  ut- 
most to  unseal  their  eyes,  to  unstop  their  ears,  and  to  ivarm 
their  frozen  hearts,  that  they  may  run  with  alacrity  and  joy 
the  way  that  is  now  pointed  out ;  for  it  leads  to  life,  to  hap- 
piness, and  to  heaven. 

In  the  following  work  we  undertake  to  oppose  and  refute 
the  sentiments  of  Unitarians  of  each  class,  and  also  of  Tri- 
nitarians of  every  description,  whether  they  be  of  the  Romish 
or  the  Protestant  persuasion,  of  the  established  or  non-estab- 
lished churches,  on  the  subject  of  the  divinity  of  our  Lord 
and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  :  for  as  they  are  all  agreed  in  re- 
fusing to  acknowledge  his  exclusive  title  to  the  sovereignty 
and  dominion  of  the  universe,  we  are  under  the  necessity  of 
ranking  them  all  together  as  in  some  sort  united,  and  *'  tak- 
**  ing  counsel  together  against  the  Lord,  and  against  his 
"  Anointed,'*  Fs.  ii.  3.  But  we  trust  we  shall  be  enabled 
to  "  break  their  hands  asunder,  and  to  cast  atvay  their  cords 
**from  MS,"  ver.  3.  In  other  words,  we  hope  it  m  ill  be  made 
to  appear,  that  neither  the  Unitarian  nor  the  Trinitarian  is 
in  possession  of  the  genuine  truth,  relative  to  the  person 
and  character  of  Jesus  Christ;  but  that,  while  the  former 
regards  him  as  a  mere  man,  or  a  mere  creature  even  of  su- 
per-angelic order ;  and  while  the  latter,  allowing  him  in 
common  with  two  other  persons  some  portion  of  divinity,  yet 
carefully  separates  even  this  small  pittance  from  his  huma- 
nity, and  thus  puts  asunder  what  God  has  irreversibly  and 


viii  PREFACE. 

eternally  united ;  the  Sacred  Scriptures  give  full  and  unceas- 
ing testimony  to  the  sole  and  exclusive  divinity  of  ourhless- 
ed  Lord,  whom  they  equally  characterize,  hoth  in  the  Old 
and  in  the  New  Testament,  as  the  Onhj  Father  and  Creator 
of  the  universe,  the  onhi  Redeemer  and  8ariour  of  the  world, 
and  tJie  onhj  Regenerator  and  Comforter  of  his  people. 

To  this  purpose  we  have  hrought  forward,  in  the  follow- 
ing sheets,  hesides  a  multitude  of  appropriate  collateral  quo- 
tations from  the  Old  Testament,  one  hundred  and  forly-four 
direct  evidences  and  proofs  of  the  divinity  of  Jesus  Christ, 
taken  from  the  Gospels  and  the  Apocalypse,  these  being  the 
only  divine  hooks  belonging  to  the  New  Testament;  which 
five  books  may  be  considered  as  the^^rc  hooks  of  the  Lamb, 
closing,  winding  up,  and  completing  the  canon  of  Sacred 
Scripture,  in  like  manner  as  the  Jive  books  of  Moses  begin 
it.  And  though  we  could  have  swelled  our  volume  with  ex- 
tracts and  quotations,  to  the  same  effect  as  the  above,  from 
the  Acts  and  Epistles  of  the  Apostles,  yet  we  have  chosen 
to  have  recourse,  for  our  authority,  only  to  those  testimo- 
nies, which  we  conceive  to  be  ahsolutcly  divine^  and  to  carry 
with  them  a  power  and  e^cacij  unknown  to  any  human  writ- 
ing, however  valuable  and  useful  it  may  be  in  many  other 
respects.* 

It  may  be  of  little  consequence  to  the  reader  to  know  the 
occasion,  which  first  gave  rise  to  the  following  work  :  yet  it 
may  do  him  no  harm  to  be  made  acquainted  with  it.  A  few 
years  ago,  when  the  Author  resided  in  London,  he  was  in- 
troduced by  a  friend  to  the  company  of  some  gentlemen,  who 

*  Here  and  there  indeed  we  may  give  a  quotation  from,  or  reference  to, 
some  of  the  books  here  excepted  from  the  Divine  Code  ;  but  then  it  will  be 
only  by  way  of  confirmation  of  the  doctrine  there  advanced,  for  the  sake  of 
those,  who  know  not  as  yet  the  distinction  between  those  books  which  pro- 
ceed/rom  the  Lord,  and  those  which  proceed  only  from  man,  even  from  a  good 
and  pious  man.  IJutthis  subject  will  be  seen  more  fully  treated  of  in  a  note 
tinder  article  136,  of  tlie  following  work. 


PREFACE.  ix 

Vfere  zealous  promoters  of  the  Unitai'ian  doctrines.  After 
much  conversation  with  them  on  a  variety  of  subjects,  which 
engaged  their  attention,  but  particularly  concerning  theiv 
views  of  the  jierson  and  character  of  Jesus  Christ,  he  was 
surprised  to  hear,  that  they,  with  others  of  their  friends, 
were  at  that  very  time  actively  employed  in  forming  'new 
societies  in  different  parts  of  the  town,  for  the  propagation  of 
tJnitarian  principles.  He  visited,  on  different  occasions, 
five  or  six  of  these  societies,  some  of  which  were  held  public- 
ly, and  some  in  private  houses,  to  which  no  strangers  had 
access,  but  those  who  were  expressly  invited.  He  heard 
their  debates,  and  listened  to  their  reasonings  with  all  th« 
candour  he  was  master  of  j  and  at  times  availed  himself  of 
the  liberty,  which  was  granted  to  any  one  in  the  company, 
of  delivering  his  own  sentiments  without  reserve.  He  after- 
wards made  minutes  of  the  principal  subjects,  that  were 
from  time  to  time  brought  upon  the  carpet :  and  having  ob- 
served hoAv  easily  some  apparently  upright  minds  were  led 
astray  by  the  fallacious  reasonings  urged  by  some  of  the  more 
distinguished  speakers  among  them,  he  formed  the  design 
of  endeavouring,  at  some  future  opportunity,  to  counteract, 
according  to  the  best  of  his  ability,  what  appeared  to  him  to 
be  a  most  dangerous  and  fatal  error. 

But  on  further  reflection  he  was  led  to  see,  that,  hoAV- 
ever  useful  any  honest  exertions  might  prove  in  endeavour- 
ing to  silence,  by  fair  argument,  the  false  reasonings  of  the 
Unitarian^  there  was  perhaps  an  equal,  if  not  (by  reason  of 
it's  mare  general  prervalencej  a  still  greater  danger  to  the 
simple  and  unwary,  arising  from  the  doctrines  of  what  is 
usually  called  Trinitarianism.  To  enter  the  lists  with  both 
of  these  at  one  time,  especially  when  it  is  considered  tliat 
they  are  separately  furnished  with  horses,  and  chariots,  and 
a  great  host  of  warriors  of  almost  every  description  and 
rank,  he  thought  might  be  accounted  a  matter  of  impru- 
dence, if  not  of  presumption,  on  the  part  of  a  mere  private. 


X  PREFACE. 

an  untitled  individual.  He  was  thercibre  inclined  to  remain 
a  silent  spectator  of  the  passing  events  of  the  day :  and  so 
he  has  continued  until  very  lately.  But  while  he  was  mus- 
ing on  the  subject,  again  and  again  he  as  it  were  heard  a 
voice  saying  to  him,  *'  Fear  not;  for  they  that  he  with  us, 
*•  are  more  than  they  that  he  ivith  them"  2  Kings  vi.  16.  And 
then  looking  up,  and  having  his  eyes  as  it  were  open,  "  he 
*<  saw,  and  lo  !  the  mountain  ivasfull  of  horses  and  chariots 
*^  of  fire  round  ahouti^  ver.  17.  Immediately  he  was  inspir- 
ed with  courage,  because  he  knew  that  the  battle  was  not 
his,  but  "  the  Lord's,"  1  Sam.  xvii.  i7  :  and  thereupon  an 
assurance  was  given  him,  that  the  hostile  army  would  "  he 
*'  smitten  rvith  blindness,  so  that  they  should  not  be  able  to 
<*  see,  until  they  arrived  in  the  midst  of  Samaria,  (the  true 
**  spiritual  church,)  where  their  eyes  should  be  opened,  and 
**  themselves  fed  with  abundance  of  provision,"  2  Kings  vi. 
18  to  23. 

Under  all  these  circumstances  and  considerations,  the  pre- 
sent work  has  been  conceived,  and  is  now  at  length  brougiit 
forth,  with  a  reasonable  hope,  that  it  may  not  only  be  found 
useful  in  confirming  the  faith  of  those  who  are  already  in 
possession  of  the  truth,  but  that  it  may  also  become  the 
means,  under  divine  providence,  of  leading  others  out  of  a 
state  of  ignorance  or  doubt  concerning  the  sole  divinity  of 
our  Lord,  into  a  rational,  scriptural,  and  full  conviititin,  that 
he  alone  is  possessed  of  all  power  both  in  heaven  and  on 
earth,  agreeably  to  his  own  words  in  Matt,  xxviii.  18;  and 
consequently  that  he  alone  is  the  God  of  the  church,  the  sin- 
gle Object  to  whom  all  worship  ought  ever  to  be  directed, 
and  thus  the  ever-living  Jehovah  himself  in  a  divinely-hu- 
man form. 

Having  thus  stated  the  origin,  nature,  and  design  of  the 
fallowing  work,  which  (as  already  noticed)  consists  of  a  va- 
riety of  testimonies  from  the  Sacred  Scriptures  in  proof  of 
the  sole  divinity  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ, 


PREFACE.  xi 

taken  in  their  plain  and  obvious  sense,  together  with  reflec- 
tions as  well  on  the  celestial  doctrine,  which  they  so  abun- 
dantly confirm,  as  on  the  Unitarian  and  Trinitarian  doc- 
trines, which  they  so  decidedly  annul ;  it  remains  only  to  be 
further  observed  by  the  Author,  that  he  submits  the  whole 
to  the  unbiassed  judgment  and  candour  of  the  public ;  trust- 
ing, that,  as  it  has  been  written  in  the  spirit  of  charity,  and 
with  a  sincere  desire  to  promote  the  spiritual  welfare  of  the 
reader,  it  will  be  received  by  him  in  the  same  spirit,  what- 
ever may  be  the  effect  produced  by  it  upon  his  understanding. 

He  is  well  aware,  that  a  subject  so  truly  great  and  impor- 
tant, in  every  point  of  view,  as  that  which  he  has  undertaken 
to  handle  and  defend,  is  worthy  of  a  far  abler  pen,  than  that 
which  it  has  fallen  to  his  lot  to  possess.  He  is  also  con- 
scious, that  there  must  be  many  imperfections  in  the  execu- 
tion of  this  plan,  for  which  he  hopes  a  favourable  allowance 
will  be  made ;  as  he  has  done  his  best  to  set  forth  and  extol 
a  Name,  which  to  him  has  long  appeared  infinitely  to  excel 
all  other  names.  And  though  he  is  sure,  that  he  has  writ- 
ten nothing  with  a  view  to  offend  either  Unitarian  or  Trini- 
tarian, either  Catholic  or  Protestant,  yet  should  any  expres- 
sion have  escaped  his  pen,  calculated  to  inflict  a  wound  upon 
either  of  them,  or  to  give  pain  to  a  single  individual,  he 
would  willingly  erase  it  from  his  paper,  and  would  beg  the 
reader  to  erase  also  the  memory  of  it  from  his  mind.  Ho 
has  no  personal  enemies  that  he  knows  of;  and  he  seeks 
not  to  make  any.  The  erroneous  sentiments  of  a  man  he 
considers  as  distinguishable  from  the  man  himself:  and  if 
at  times  he  is  found  to  oppose  the  former  with  much  free- 
dom and  plainness,  he  would  yet  wish  to  love,  respect,  and 
honour  the  latter  in  a  suitable  and  becoming  manner. 

With  these  sentiments  of  friendship  and  esteem  for  all, 
who  in  any  respect  bear  the  image  and  likeness  of  the  com- 
mon Parent  of  mankind,  he  concludes  these  observations ;  and 

d 


xii  PREFACE. 

sincerely  hopes,  that  the  work  itself,  to  which  they  serve 
as  an  introduction,  may  prove  acceptable  to  the  reader,  and 
productive  of  lasting  benefit  to  the  community  at  large. 

Robert  Hindmarsh. 

Salford,  Manchester.  Feb.  18,  1814=53. 


A  SEAL 


UPON  THE  LIPiS  OF 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS, 

&c.  &c. 


*'  The  Testimornj  0/ Jesus  is  the  Spirit  of  Propfieqj."  Apoc.  six.  10. 


MATTHEAY. 


[PRELIMINARY.] 


WE  are  well  aware,  that  it  is  the  opinion  ©f  many  Unita* 
rians,  particularly  those  who  have  heretofore  been  known  by  the 
name  of  Socinians,  that  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  was  either  the 
legitimate  or  illegitimate  offspring  of  Joseph ;  and  consequently 
that  his  conception  no  more  partook  of  a  miraculous  character 
and  quality,  than  the  conception  of  any  other  man.  This  senti- 
ment has  been  distinctly  avowed  by  some  of  the  principal  wri- 
ters among  them,  who  have  not  hesitated  to  call  in  question 
the  authenticity  of  the  first  chapter  of  Matthew's  Gospel,  as 
well  as  some  other  parts  of  divine  revelation,  and  for  no  otlier 
reason,  but  because  it  announces  in  the  plainest  language,  that 
Jesus,  so  far  from  being  a  mere  man,  or  the  son  of  a  mere 
man,  was  in  reality  of  divine  extraction  ;  nay,  that,  though  as  to 
his  e.vterior  body  of  flesh  and  blood  he  was  born  of  a  woman,  yet 

A 


i>  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

as  to  his  inferior  essence  and  form  he  was  no  less  than  Emmanu- 
KL  himself,  that  is  to  say,  God  with  us.  But  as  we  do  not,  out 
{){  comjdaisance  to  the  opinion  of  Unitarians,  or  of  any  other  de- 
scription of  professing  Christians,  chuse  to  forego  the  advantage 
so  fairly  offered  us  in  the  introduction  to  this  Gospel,  we  shall 
endeavour  to  avail  ourselves  of  the  divine  truth  which  it  contains, 
in  common  with  the  succeeding  chapters,  to  establish  and  confirm 
a  doctrine,  which  appears  to  us  to  be  the  sum  and  substance  of 
all  revelation. 

Our  arguments  are  not  confined  to  any  one  chapter,  or  exclu- 
sively drawn  from  particular  passages,  which  have  been  marked 
out  as  liable  to  objection  in  point  of  authenticity ;  but  they  spring 
up  as  it  were  spontaneously  from  almost  every  chapter  in  each  of 
tlie  Gospels,  from  almost  every  fact  and  circumstance  recorded 
in  the  life  of  Jesus.  Yet,  in  comparison  Avith  what  remain  be- 
hind, we  have  only  selected  a  few  of  the  most  prominent,  to  lay 
before  the  reader,  which,  like  the  advanced  guard  of  a  powerful 
army,  are  thought  to  be  of  themselves  quite  sufiicient  to  put  to 
flight  the  united  legions  of  the  enemy,  without  drawing  fi-om  the 
great  body  of  reserve  an  unnecessary  force,  which  however  is  al- 
ways at  hand,  and  in  readines's  to  act  as  occasion  may  require. 

AVith  respect  to  Trinitarians,  who  form  an  army  of  a  different 
description  from  that  of  Unitarians,  and  who  are  in  general  at 
war  with  thes'e  latter,  but  by  no  means  in  settled  amity  with  us ; 
we  shall  frequently  have  occasion  to  break  ground  with  them 
also,  and  shall  in  the  end,  we  hope,  reduce  them  at  least  to  the 
necessity  of  cupituliition,  if  we  do  not  (as  is  rather  expected) 
make  them  all  unconditional  prisoners  ofivar.  We  are  not,  how- 
ever, cruel,  merciless  banditti,  that  make  war  for  the  sake  of 
plunder,  and  to  the  crime  of  robbery  add  that  of  murder.  At  the 
very  sight  of  distress  even  in  an  enemy,  our  hearts  melt  within 
u's  ;  and  when  he  asks  for  quarter,  we  not  only  spare  his  life,  but 
give  him  the  hand  of  friendship,  take  him  under  our  protection, 
and  cause  him  to  participate  with  us  in  all  our  comforts  and  de- 
lights. A';d  tliis  we  do  by  the  especial  orrftr  awd  recommendatiou 
of  our  SovEUEiGN,  who,  though  the  Captain  of  our  host,  Josb. 
« .  14  :  Deut.  i.  30,  has  yet  obtained  among  us  the  deserved  title 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  3 

of  Father  of  his  people,  and  Prince  of  peace,  Isa.  ix.  6; 
John  xiv.  9,  27.  From  him  alone  this  sentiment  of  love  and  affec- 
tion is  derived;  his  voice,  his  presence,  his  name  inspires  it;  and 
while  it's  influence  spreads  among  our  ranks,  every  bosom  is  ex- 
panded, every  heart  is  elate  with  joy,  and  every  tongue  proclaims, 
that  he  is  Lord  of  lords,  and  King  of  kings,  Apoc.  xvii.  14; 
chap.  xix.  16. 


[1.]  MATT.  i.  18  to  21.  «  Now  the  birth  of  Jesus  Christ 
"  was  on  this  wise :  When  as  h\s  mother  Mary  was  espoused  to 
"  Joseph,  before  they  came  together,  she  was  found  with  child  of 
"  the  Holy  Spirit.*  Then  Joseph  her  husband,  being  a  just  man, 
"  and  not  willing  to  make  her  a  public  example,  was  minded  to 
<'  put  her  away  privily.  But  while  he  thought  on  these  things, 
"  behold,  the  angel  of  the  Lord  appeared  unto  him  in  a  dream, 
"  saying,  Joseph,  thou  son  of  David,  fear  not  to  take  unto  thee 
"  Mary  thy  wife ;  for  that  which  is  conceived  in  her  is  of  the 
"  Holy  Spirit.  And  she  shall  bring  forth  a  Son,  and  thou  shalt 
'•  call  his  name  Jesus  ;  for  he  shall  save  his  people  from  their 
"  s»js."     See  also  Luke  i.  26  to  35 ;  chap.  ii.  1 L 


Here  two  things  are  expressly  and  distinctly  stated  in  refe- 
rence to  Jesus,  which  cannot  be  applied  to  any  mere  man,  no  nor 

*  The  reader  is  requested  to  observe,  that,  Instead  of  the  word  Ghost, 
which  is  now  nearly  obsolete,  or  scarcely  ever  used  in  the  English  language, 
except  in  a  low  sense,  to  denote  a  mere  phantom  or  spectre,  we  have  for  the 
most  part  adopted  the  term  Spirit,  as  being  preferable  in  every  respect.  The 
rule,  by  which  we  have  been  governed  in  the  use  of  these  terms,  in  the  fol- 
lowing work,  is  this.  Whensoever  we  quote  from  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  or 
speak  in  agreement  with  them,  or  with  genuine  doctrine  derived  from  them, 
we  invariably  use  the  word  Spirit,  or  JIoli/  Spirit,  as  the  case  may  be.  But, 
on  the  other  hand,  whensoever  we  speak  of  a  trinity  of  persons  in  the  divine  na- 
ture, as  maintained  by  Trinitarians,  whose  real  name  is  more  properly  Triper- 
sonalists,  on  such  occasions  we  use  the  term  Ghost  or  IIoli/  Ghost,  as  better 
suited  to  express  their  idea  of  the  subject,  than  the  phrase  Jh/u  Spiriff 
which  we  have  uniformly  retained  in  delivering  our  own  ^icntiments 


4  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

to  any  angel  of  heaven,  however  high  and  pre-eminent  may  be  iii^ 
character  in  tlie  great  scale  of  creation  ;  namely,  1st,  That  he 
was  conceived  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  and  2dly,  Tliat  he  shall  save 
his  people  from  their  sins. 

AVith  respect  to  the  first  p(yint,  it  is  to  he  observed,  that  the 
Holy  Spirit  is  the  divine  virtue,  power,  and  operation  of  Jeho- 
vah God  himself,  producing  a  visible  human  form,  wherein  the 
invisible  essence  of  Deity  may  reside  and  be  contained.  But  as 
^he  divine  essence  is  in  itself  one  and  indivisible,  incapable  of  se- 
paration into  distinct  personalities,  in  the  manner  of  human  pro- 
pagation from  a  father  to  a  son,  it  follows,  that  the  body  produc- 
ed by  conception  from  Jehovahj  must  be  not  only  of  the  same 
essence  with  it's  Father,  but  identically  one  and  the  same  person 
as  to  it's  interior  substance,  though  as  to  the  exterior  and  infirm 
substance  derived  from  the  mother  Mary,  it  was  in  the  sight  and 
estimation  of  the  world  distinct  from  the  Father.  This  difference 
between  what  was  derived  from  Jehovah  the  Father,  and  wh^t 
was  derived  from  Mary  the  mother,  ouglit  to  be  well  attended  to 
in  reading  the  Gospels,  because  it  is  the  only  true  key  to  the 
right  understanding  of  many  parts  of  those  heavenly  and  divine 
writings.  It  removes  at  once  the  apparent  discordances  of  their 
literal  sense  in  relation  to  the  person  and  character  of  Jesus,  and 
opens  a  rational  and  satisfactory  view  of  the  fundamental  doc- 
trines of  the  Christian  religion. 

With  respect  to  the  second  point,  viz.  that  he  shall  save  his 
people  from  their  sins,  this  properly  and  necessarily  flows  from 
the  first,  and  moreover  confirms  what  has  been  already  advanced. 
For  who  but  a  divine  person  is  entitled  to  the  appellation  of  Sa- 
viour? who  but  Jehovah  himself,  the  Creator  and  Preserver  of 
the  universe,  can  deliver  his  creatures  from  the  power,  the  guilt, 
and  the  consequences  of  sin  ?  The  highest  arcliangel  in  heaven 
is  totally  incompetent  to  so  divine  a  labour.  How  then  can  it  be 
ascribed  to  a  mere  man,  to  a  worm,  who  himself  stands  in  need 
of  salvation,  in  common  with  his  fellow-delinquents  ?  But  the 
question  is  for  ever  decided  by  an  authority,  which  cannot  be  dis- 
puted :  "  I  am  Jehovah,  and  beside  me  there  is  no  Saviour,-^ 
Isa.  xliii.  11.    "  /Jehovah  am  thy  Saviour  and  Eedeemer,''  Isa. 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &q.  5 

xlix.  26.  Incontrovertibly  tlierefore  it  follows,  that  the  Divine 
Essence,  called  Jehovah  the  Father,  or  the  Supreme  God,  de- 
scended himself  into  the  workl,  by  incarnation  in  the  womb  of  a 
virgin,  for  the  purpose  of  saving  his  people  from  their  sins.*  And 
this  salvation  is  equally  as^cribed  to  Jesus  and  to  Jehovah,  be- 
cause by  both  names  is  Understood  one  and  the  same  Divine  Be- 
ing, tliough  standing  in  different  relations  to  his  creature,  man. 
The  very  name  Jesus  also  signifies  a  Saviour  :\  and  we  have  al- 
ready seen,  that  Jehovah  is  the  only  Saviour,  and  the  only  Re- 
deemer :  from  which  considerations  no  other  conclusion  can  be 
fairly  drawn,  than  that  above  stated,  viz.  that  Jesus  and  Jeho- 
vah are  one  and  the  same. 

To  this  may  be  added  another  confirmation  from  the  mouth  of 
Jehovah  by  the  hand  of  his  evangelical  prophet, "  I  am  Jehovah, 
"  that  is  my  name,  and  my  glory  will  I  not  give  to  another,''^  Isa. 
xlii.  8.  The  glory  of  Jehovah  arises  from  his  character  of  Crea- 
tor, Redeemer,  and  Regenerator  of  mankind ;  the  two  last  of  which 
characters  are  included  in  that  of  Saviour.  Now  if  Jesus  were 
a  mere  man,  or  an  angel,  or  a  seraph,  or  a  demigod,  in  short,  were 
he  any  other  than  the  Supreme  God  himself  clothed  with  human 
nature,  it  could  not  in  truth  be  said  of  him,  that  he  shall  save  his 
people  from  their  sins :  for  this  would  be  no  less  than  robbery 
against  the  Majesty  of  heaven,  on  tlie  part  of  the  man  who  should 
presume  to  assert  it;  and  on  the  part  of  Jehovah,  it  would  be 
the  complete  translation  of  his  power,  his  honour,  and  his  glory, 
from  himself  to  some  other  being  incapable  of  receiving  the  gift, 
which  nevertheless  cannot  for  a  moment  be  admitted  even  by  the 
most  distant  thought,  because  it  is  expressly  forbidden  by  tlie  di- 
vine jealousy,  founded  on  the  divine  perfections.  But  Jiccording 
to  the  testimony  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  which  dictated  the  holy  Gos- 
pels, the  hidden  or  invisible  Jehovah  has  given  or  transferred 

*  Wlien  it  is  asserted,  that  Jehovah  the  Father,  or  the  Supreme  God  him- 
self, descended  into  the  world,  and  became  incarnate,  it  is  to  be  understood, 
that  he  did  so  particularly  in  respect  to  the  divine  truth,  which  is  the  U^orJ, 
as  in  John  i.  1,  14. 

f  Nay,  even  Jehovah  Saviour.  See  Mr.  Parkhurst's  Greek  Lexicon,  art. 
Jlscs.— Am.  Pub. 


6  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

his  glory,  his  honour,  and  liis  power,  together  with  every  other 
attribute  of  divinity,  not  indeed /rwm  /aHis?//",  because  that  is  im- 
possible, but  to  his  own  visible,  manifested,  and  divine  form, 
which  proceeded  from,  and  is  eternally  united  with, his  divine  es- 
sence. In  otlier  words,  the  Father  has  ^iven  all  things  into  the 
hand  of  his  Sun  Jesus,  John  iii.  35;  chap.  xiii.  3;  chap.  xvi. 
f5 :  and  yet  he  still  retains  all  that  he  so  gives  ;  just  as  the  soul 
of  a  man  may  be  said  to  retain  all  it's  powers,  although  they  arc 
communicated  to^  and  actually  exercised  by,  his  b«dy. 

In  agreement  with  these  sentiments  are  the  following  words  of 
the  Lord  :  "  Jill  power  is  given  unto  me  in  heaven  and  in  earth,^^ 
Matt,  xxviii.  18.  "  Ml  things  that  the  Father  hath,  are  mine,'" 
John  xvi.  15.  "  Ml  mine  are  thi^e,  ar\d  thine  are  viine,''^  chap, 
xvii.  10.  Jesus  said,  "  My  Father  worketh  hitherto,  and  7  work," 
chap.  V.  17  :  that  is,  the  Divinity  and  the  Humanity  unite  in  the 
great  work  of  redemption  and  salvation.  "  Verily  verily  I  say 
"  unto  you.  The  Son  can  do  nothing  of  himself,  but  what  he  seeth 
••  the  Father  do  :  for  what  things  soever  he  doth,  these  also  doth 
'•  the  Son  likewise.  For  the  Father  loveth  the  Son,  and  sheweth 
"  him  all  things  that  himself  doth.  For  as  the  Father  raiseth  up 
'■•  the  dead, and  quickeneth  them  ;  even  so  the  Son  qiiickeneth  ichom 
"  he  wUl.  For  the  Fatlier  judge th  no  man,  but  hath  committed  all 
^'^  judgment  unto  the  Son  :  That  all  men  should  honour  the  Son, 
•'  even  as  they  honour  the  Father,''^  chap.  v.  19  to  23.  "  I  and  the 
"  Father  are  One,^''  chap.  x.  30. 

In  all  these  passages  by  the  Father  and  the  Son  are  meant  the 
Divinity  and  the  Humanity  of  one  and  the  same  God.  Hence  what- 
ever character,  whatever  power,  whatever  honour,  whatever  per- 
fection, is  inherent  in,  or  ascribed  to,  the  one,  the  same  is  of  riglit 
and  necessity  claimed  and  exercised  by  the  other  also ;  which 
could  never  by  any  possibility  have  been  the  case,  were  not  tlie 
Father  and  the  Son,  the  Divinity  and  the  Humanity,  the  essence 
and  the  form,  that  is  to  say,  Jehovah  and  Jesus,  one  and  the 
same  infinite,  eternal,  undivided,  and  adorable  God. 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &e.  7 

[2.]  Matt.  i.  22,  23.  "  Now  all  this  was  done,  that  it  might  be 
"  fulfilled  which  was  spoken  of  the  Lord  by  the  prophet,  saying, 
"  Behold,  a  virgin  shall  be  with  child,  and  shall  bring  forth  a  Son, 
"  and  they  shall  call  his  name  Emmanuel,  which  being  iiterpret- 
"  ed  is,  God  with  us." 


This  passage,  immediately  succeeding  the  former,  confirms  everv 
sentiment  hitherto  advanced,  and  in  one  word  announces  the  true 
character  and  title  of  Jesus.  We  take  it  for  granted,  that  the  read- 
er will  permit  us  to  proceed  upon  the  supposition,  or  rather  upon 
the  full  acknowledgment,  of  there  being  only  OneGod, and  that  this 
One  God  is  undivided  both  in  essence  and  in  person.  Then  we 
say,  that  if  the  child  conceived  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  if  the  Son 
brought  forth  by  a  virgin,  be  in  deed  and  in  truth,  as  here  denomi- 
nated, Emmanuel,  or  God  with  us,  he  must,  however  extraor- 
dinary or  incredible  the  assertion  in  the  estimation  of  some 
minds,  be  no  other  than  the  supreme  and  one  only  God  of  heaven 
and  earth.  There  cannot,  in  the  nature  of  things,  be  om  God  in 
heaven,  and  another  God  on  the  earth  ;  there  cannot  be  one  God 
with  angels,  and  another  God  with  tis  men.  Neither  c-an  one  part 
of  the  Deity  be  above,  and  another  part  below ;  one  part  here, 
and  another  part  somewhere  else.*     The  whole  Deity  must  there- 


*  The  common  Idea  of  the  divine  omnipresence  is  fundamentally  erroneous, 
because  it  bears  respect  to  mere  space,  which  is  only  a  relation  of  matter. 
According  to  such  an  idea,  the  Divine  Being-,  in  order  to  be  every-where  pre- 
sent, must  of  necessity  be  extended,  and  diffused  through  all  space :  the  con- 
sequence of  which  would  be,  that  one  part  of  him  only  would  be  here,  and 
another  part  there.  The  true  idea  of  the  divine  omnipresence  can  onlyte  ob- 
tained by  removing  from  the  mind  every  consideration  of  space,  as  well  as 
of  time  :  and  then  it  may  be  seen,  that  God  is  omnipresent  without  having 
any  relation  whatever  to  spaces  or  times,  or  in  any  way  commixing  himself 
witji  them  ;  just  as,  comparatively  speaking,  the  soul  of  a  man  is  omnipre- 
sent in  every  part  of  it's  body,  yet  without  bearing  «7?7/  relationto  body,  with- 
out being  extended  with  the  body,  or  in  the  smallest  degree  commixing  itself 
with  the  material  substances  composing  the  body.  Hence,  as  the  -whole  soul 
tS  in  every  part  of  the  body,  yet  not  commixed  or  extended  with  it,  so  as  to  be 
a  part  here,  and  a  part  thsre  ,-  in  lik«  manner,  but  at  the  same  time  infinitely 


8  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

fore  have  been  present  in  that  holy  and  divine  person,  who  is  so 
emphatically  styled  Emmanuel,  or  God  with  us;  and  although  ^ 
in  respect  to  the  infirm  body  or  covering  of  mere  flesh  and  blood, 
he  was  an  infant  like  other  infants,  with  senses,  appetites,  and 
affections,  similar  to  those  of  other  men,  yet  in  respect  to  the  es- 
!>ential  divimiy  within  him,  which  was  his  very  life  and  soul,  he 
was  still  the  infinite,  eternal,  "  the  mightij  God,  the  everlasting 
"  Father,  and  the  Prince  of  jscace,"  Isa.  ix.  6. 

But  it  is  nevertlteless  an  important  truth,  that  this  divine  soul, 
though  in  itself  completely  omnipresent  in  it's  body,  was  not  at 
first  manifestly,  sensibly,  and  fully  perceived :  it  was  as  yet  a  la- 
tent Divinity ;  a  fountain  of  life,  whose  head  indeed  was  cover- 
ed, but  whose  streams  were  silently  and  imperceptibly  flowing 
in  the  channels  of  Humanity ;  a  sun  of  righteousness,  whose 
beams  were  indeed  irradiating  the  heavenly  worlds,  and  just  be- 
ginning to  break  through  the  clouds  of  nature ;  in  short,  it 
was  the  invisible  Jehovah  himself,  who,  unwilling  any  longer 
to  conceal  his  divine  person  and  perfections  from  his  creatures, 
was  in  the  act  of  bringing  himself  down  to  their  view,  but  in 
the  mercy  of  accommodation  to  their  states,  still  with-held  the 
full  blaze  of  his  glory  from  their  eyes,  and  hid  himself  under  the 
veil  of  a  merely  human  form,  until  by  divine  means  they  were 
prepared  to  behold  his  face.  Well  then  did  the  prophet  describe 
this  new  and  extraordinary  situation  of  the  great  Jehovah  in  a 
body  of  flesh  :  "  Surely  God  is  in  thee,  and  there  is  none  else : 
verily  thou  art  a  God  that  hidest  thyself,  0  God  of  Israel  the 
Saviour,"  Isa.  xlv.  14,  15. 

The  doctrine,  therefore,  which  is  here  announced,  is  no  ne\y 
doctrine,  but  is  as  old,  and  as  true,  as  the  Word  of  prophecy  it- 
self. It  was  to  be  expected,  that  when  Jehovah  did  come  in- 
above  all  comparison,  the  Divine  Being,  as  a  -whole,  and  not  as  a  part,  is  pre- 
sent in  every  individual  substance  of  the  created  unirerse,  yet  without  being 
in  any  aense  of  the  word  eiUier  commixed  or  extended  with  it :  so  that  it  can 
aever  be  said  of  him,  that  he  is  partly  here,  and  partly  there ,-  but  he  must 
ever  he  regarded  as  a  -whole  and  complete  God,  being  every-iohere  alike  present 
witli  all  his  fulness,  that  is,  Avith  the  totalihi  of  his  divine  essence,  However  im- 
perceptible and  incomprehensible  it  may  be  to  the  crtfature. 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANSj  &c.  9 

to  the  world,  in  the  character  of  Messiah,  Christ,  or  Immanu- 
EL,  he  would  make  his  appearance  precisely  as  he  is  reported  to 
have  done,  as  an  obscure  Man,  with-holding  for  a  time  even  from 
his  disciples  and  humble  followers,  and  to  the  last  from  his  ene- 
mies, tlie' haughty  self-righteous  and  worldly-wise,  the  full  and 
direct  knowledge  of  his  divine  nature.  Hence  the  prophet  again 
declares,  "  He  hath  no  form  nor  comeliness :  and  when  we  shall 
*'  see  him,  there  is  no  heautif  that  we  should  desire  him.  He  is 
"  despised  and  rejected  of  men  :  we  hid  as  it  were  our  faces  from 
*'  him  ;  he  was  despised  and  we  esteemed  him  not,''^  Isa.  liii.  2,  3. 
Yet,  regardless  of  this  notice,  both  Jews  and  Christians  have  been 
looking  for  an  external  pomp  and  splendor  to  mark  his  person 
and  his  steps  :  but  being  disappointed  herein,  the  former  have  re- 
jected him  altogether  as  their  Messiah,  while  the  latter  have  de- 
graded him,  some  to  the  rank  of  a  demigod,  like  the  Athanasian 
Trinitarians  ;  some  to  that  of  a  super-angelical  but  still  a  created 
being,  like  the  Arian  Unitarians ;  and  others  again  to  that  of  a 
mere  man,  like  the  Socinian  Unitarians.  Thus^j^ne  of  them  have 
as  yet  acknowledged  him  to  be,  because  none  of  them  have  un- 
derstood how  he  could  be,  singly  and  exclusively  the  Supreme 
God  of  the  universe,  under  the  veil  or  disguise  of  human  nature, 
and  therein  presenting  himself  to  his  creatures  as  their  long-ex- 
pected Messiah,  Redeemer,  and  Saviour  ;  in  one  word,  as  their 
Emmanuel,  which  being  interpreted  is  God  with  us.  So  tru- 
ly applicable  are  those  words  of  the  Evangelist,  "  He  was  in  the 
"  world,  and  the  world  was  made  by  him,  and  the  world  knew  him 
^-not,''^  John  i.  10.  And  again,  "  He  came  unto  his  own  and  his 
*'  own  received  him  not.^^  ver.  11  :  that  is  to  say,  even  they,  who 
were  in  possession  of  divine  revelation,  and  who  on  that  account 
might  be  supposed  to  form  a  just  estimate  of  the  person  and  cha- 
I'acter  of  the  Messiah  or  Christ,  either  from  blindness  discero- 
ed  not  his  sole  and  exclusive  divinity,  or  else  from  wickedness 
refused  to  acknowledge  it.  But  now  (thanks  be  to  iieaven  !)  light 
has  risen  upon  the  earth,  and  all  who  are  willing  to  open  their 
eyes,  may  behold  their  God  (Isa.  xl.  9.)  arrayed  in  all  the  Majes- 
ty of  a  Divine  Human  Form;  and  thus  beholding  him,  they 

B 


10  A  SE!AL  upon  Tim  LIPS  OF 

may  fall  down  at  his  sacred  feet,   "  and  worship  him  that  livelh 
*^  for  ever  and  ever,"  Apoc.  iv.  10  5  chap.  v.  14. 

It  may  be  proper  in  this  place  to  notice  an  objection,  which  has 
been  started  against  the  autlienticity  of  INIatthew's  Gospel,  from 
t1)e  circumstance  of  his  quoting  tlie  prophecy  of  Isaiah,  chap.  vii. 
14,  relative  to  the  birth  and  name  of  the  child  to  be  born,  and  ap- 
plying the  same  to  Jesus,  yet  without  giving  him  the  name  Im- 
MANUEL  or  Emmanuel,  as  the  passage  quoted  appears  to  require. 

The  immaculate  conception  is  denied  by  the  greater  part  of 
Unitarians,  who  consider  the  allusion  here  made  to  Isaiah's  pro- 
phecy to  be  a  mere  interpolation,  improperly  applied  to  the  birth 
of  Jesus  :  and  after  all,  say  they,  "  the  terms  of  the  prophecy, 
"  even  as  adduced  by  the  designing  priests  themselves,  were  not 
"  realized  in  the  name  which  w  as  actually  given  him,  first  by  the 
"  angel,  ver.  21,  and  afterwards  by  Joseph,  vex*.  25.  A  prophecy 
"  is  quoted,  which  expressly  says,  they  shall  call  his  name  Em- 
"  MANUEL;  yet,  as  if  in  defiance  of  the  predication,  prescribing 
"  what  their  conduct  ouglit  to  be  on  the  occasion,  the  writer,  af- 
"  ter  citing  his  authority  for  one  name.,  concludes  with  giving  hiui 
•'  another:  for  his  name  was  called  Jesus,  and  not  Emmanuel." 

Such  is  the  kind  of  argument  adopted  by  those,  who  form  their 
judgment  of  the  Sacred  AVritings  by  the  same  rule  as  that,  where- 
by human  or  comparatively  profane  writings  are  measured.  Hav- 
ing no  conception  that  the  "Word  was  written  chiefly  for  the  use 
of  those  wlio  are  in  tlie  spiritual  woi-ld,  where  the  incalculable 
majority  of  human  intelligences  are  assembled,  a.nd  subordinate! y 
for  the  use  of  those  few  who  live  in  tlie  natural  world,  they  re- 
duce all  wisdom  and  intelligence  to  their  own  petty  standard  of 
the  obvious,  plain,  and  literal  construction  of  words  and  facts  ; 
never  for  a  moment  suspecting,  that  the  Divine  Records,  which 
apply  to  all  ages,  to  all  worlds,  and  to  all  states  of  the  human 
race,  must  necessarily  be  couched  in  such  natural  terms,  as  by 
the  laws  of  divine  order  and  correspondency  shall  have  the  effect 
of  conveying  and  perpetuating,  at  one  and  the  same  moment, 
natural,  spiritual,  and  celestial  instruction,  adapted  to  the  several 
capacities  of  human  and  angelic  minds. 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  1 1 

Alter  tliis  statement  of  an  olyection,  which  has  been  urged 
against  tlie  autlienticity  of  the  first  part  of  Mattliew's  Gospel,  it 
will  be  proper  to  give  such  explanation  of  the  passage  in  ques- 
tion,  as,  it  is  hoped,  will  have  a  tendency  to  remove  any  impres- 
sion unfavourable  to  the  letier  of  Scripture,  which  may  have  been 
made  on  the  minds  of  those,  who  have  either  now  for  tlie  first 
time  become  acquainted  with  the  objection,  or  who  have  previous- 
ly heard  it  repeated. 

We  say  tlien,  that  the  prophecy  Avas  spiritually  accomplished 
in  the  Lord,  even  as  it  respected  the  name  whereby  he  was  to  be 
called,  as  well  as  the  name  whereby  he  actually  was  called  ;  for 
in  the  spiritual  sense,  or  what  amounts  to  the  same  thing,  in  the 
genuine  sense,  both  names  are  strictly  coincident,  and  both  names 
announce  the  divinity  of  his  person,  as  well  as  the  divinity  of  his 
office.  Emmanuel,  beyond  the  shadow  of  contradiction,  imports 
God  with  us;  and  as  there  is,  and  can  be,  but  one  God, so  this 
one  God  must  necessarily  be  that  same  Divine  l^eing,  who  in 
other  parts  of  the  Scripture  is  variously  named,  according  to  the 
various  attributes,  qualities,  and  perfections  of  Deity,  which  the 
various  states  of  the  church  described  require  to  be  applied,  exer- 
cised, or  announced.  Hence  we  find  him  sometimes  called  Jeho- 
vah, sometimes  Jehovah  God,  Jehovah  Zebaoth,  Lord  Je- 
HoviH,  God  both  in  the  singular  and  plural  number  in  the  origi- 
nal, God  of  Israel,  King  of  Israel,  Holy  One  of  Israel, 
Creator,  Saviour,  Redeemer,  Shaddai,  Rock,  Lord  ;  and 
in  the  New  Testament  sometimes  Father,  sometimes  Son,  and 
sometimes  Holy  Spirit;  also  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah, 
Lamb  of  God,  Alpha  and  Omega,  King  of  kings.  Lord 
of  Lords,  &c.  &c.  :  but  from  tlie  circumstance  of  his  being  con- 
versant with  men  in  the  humanity  which  he  assumed,  and  appear- 
ing therein  as  another  man,  he  is  usually  called  Jesus.  This  lat- 
ter name  did  not  indeed  excite  among  the  Jews  an  idea  of  his  di- 
vine origin  or  essence,  for  they  were  not  prepared  to  admit  of  a 
truth  so  sublime,  and  so  contrary  to  all  appearance  ;  and  there- 
fore to  prevent  the  evil  of  profanation,  iu  addition  to  the  other 
crimes  of  that  nation,  the  Lord  was  announced  to  them  by  the 
jiame  of  Jesus,  which  externalhj  conveyed  to  them  the  notion  of 


Xa  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

a  mere  man,  but  internally  involves  all  that  is  meant  or  signified 
by  Emmanuel  or  God  himself  incarnate.  The  term  Jesus 
signifies  a  Saviour  ;  on  which  account  it  is  added,  as  the  reason 
for  so  naming  him,  ^^for  he  shall  save  his  people  from  their  sins." 
Now  the  Supreme  God,  Jehovah  himself,  is  in  the  Old  Testament 
constantly  and  solemnly  declared  to  be  the  alone  Saviour  aind  Re- 
deemer of  men  ;  and  for  tliis  evident  reason,  because  no  other 
power  in  heaven  or  on  earth  can  possibly  be  found  available  in  the 
great  work  of  salvation.  Hear  the  language  of  Truth  itself; 
*'  Thus  saith  Jehovah  that  created  thee,  T  am  Jehovah  thy  Gody 
"  the  Holy  One  of  Israel,  thy  Saviour  ;  and  beside  me  there  is 
"wo  Saviour,^^  Isa.  xliii.  1,  3,  11.  "  All  flesh  shall  know,  that  I 
*' Jehovah  am  thy  Saviour  and  thy  Redeemer,  t\\e  Mighty  One 
"  of  Jacob,"  chap.  xlix.  26;  chap.  Ix.  16.  "  I  am  Jehovah  thy 
"  God,  and  thou  shalt  know  no  God  but  me  ;  for  there  is  no  Sa- 
"  viour  beside  me,"  Hosea  xiii.  4.  To  multiply  passages  of  this 
description,  must  be  unnecessary,  because  the  doctrine  here  as- 
serted IS  manifest.  Hence  it  follows,  that  whether  the  Lord  be 
named  Jesus,  or  whether  he  be  named  Emmanuel,  he  is  equally 
the  same  Jehovah,  the  same  God,  the  same  Redeemer,  and  the 
same  Saviour,  who  is  invariably  understood  by  botli  names. 

But  will  it  be  objected,  that  the  salvation  wrought  by  Jesus 
was  of  another  character,  and  different  from  that  which  is  as- 
cribed to  the  great  Jehovah  .'^  or  that  Jesus  was  merely  through 
courtesy  called  a  Saviour,  as  the  subordinate  agent  of  another 
who  is  God,  while  he  himself  is  but  an  instrument,  a  messenger, 
a  mortal  man  ?  Then  truly  by  the  same  mode  of  reasoning  we 
may  infer,  that  Jehovah  the  High  and  Holy  One  can  do  nothing 
by  himself,  or  by  his  own  divine  arm  ;  that  he  cannot  save,  but 
by  another,  to  whom  he  delegates  the  power,  the  name,  and  tlie 
glory  of  a  Saviour  ;  that  he  cannot  redeem,  but  through  the 
agency  of  a  subordinate  being,  to  whom  he  lends  his  omnipotence, 
as  well  as  the  other  essential  attributes  of  divinity ;  and  finally, 
that  he  cannot  create,  but  through  the  medium  of  a  creature  J 
which  is  the  last  step  of  the  climax  of  absurdity,  to  which  the 
reasoning  leads,  and  where  on  a  sudden  it  stops,  self-arrested, 
self-convicted,  and  self-^condemned. 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  31 

But  fortunately  such  objections  were  long  ago  anticipated  and 
refuted  by  the  prophet  Isaiah,  who  has  saved  us  the  trouble  of 
wandering  out  of  the  direct  path  of  revelation,  to  arm  ourselves 
with  less  powerful  weapons  of  defence.  "  I  am  Jehovah,  that 
"  is  my  name,  and  mif  glory  will  I  not  give  to  another,'''  Isa.  xlii. 
8.  As  much  as  to  say,  "  I  am  the  sole  fountain  of  life  ;  I  am  the 
"  author  and  preserver  of  all  beings,  whether  in  heaven  or  on 
"  earth;  and  to  me  alone  must  be  ascribed, /rom/rsf  to  last,  all 
"honour,  glory, might,  majesty^  and  dominion."  But  "who  is 
"  this  that  cometh  from  Edom,  with  dyed  garments  from  Bozrah  ? 
"  this  that  is  glorious  in  his  apparel,  travelling  in  the  greatness  of 
"  his  strength  ?  I  that  speak  in  righteousness,  mighty  to  save.  I 
«  have  trodden  the  wine-press  alone,  and  of  the  people  there  was 
"  none  ivith  me.  I  looked,  and  there  was  none  to  help  ;  and  I 
"  wondered  that  there  was  none  to  uphold :  therefore  mine  own 
"  arm  brqught  salvation  unto  me,  and  my  fury  it  upheld  me.  He 
"  said,  Surely  they  are  my  people,  children  that  will  not  lie  :  so 
*'  he  was  their  Saviour :  in  his  love  and  in  his  pity  he  redeemed 
"  them,''  Isa.  Ixiii.  1  to  9. 

The  whole  of  the  preceding  description  is  clearly  that  of  a 
God-Man,  and  not  that  of  a  mere  man,  who  has  no  power  to  save 
himself,  much  less  to  redeem  and  save  others.  Whence  again  it 
unavoidably  results,  that  the  name  Jesus,  which  implies  a  Sa- 
viour, and  the  name  Emmanuel,  which  signifies  God  with  7is,  do 
both  in  the  genuine  sense  of  the  Sacred  Scripture  exclusively  be-^ 
long  to  one  and  the  same  Divine  Being,  and  announce  attributes, 
powers,  and  perfections,  which  can  be  ascribed  to  none  other. 
For  if  salvation  be  a  work  purely  divine,  and  if  the  presence  of 
God  with  man  be  necessary  to  effect  that  work,  then,  the  terms 
being  correlative,  wherever  the  one  is  named,  the  other  must  al- 
so be  understood. 

Having  thus  obviated  an  objection,  which  has  been  triumphant- 
ly levelled  against  the  authenticity  and  sanctity  of  divine  inspi- 
ration ;  and  having  seen,  that  out  of  the  inquiry  occasioned  tliere- 
by  still  greater  evidence  arises  in  it's  favour,  because  a  seeming 
imperfection  in  the  letter  is  outweighed  by  more  than  it's  propor- 
tionate perXection  in  the  spirit,  it  is  recommended  to  all  the  wor- 


14  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

shippers  of  Jesus  as  Immanuel,  to  be  careful  how  they  admit  of 
doubts  concerning  the  perfection  or  autlienticity  of  the  Sacred 
Scriptures  in  the  original  languages,  especially  when  those  doubts 
are  suggested  by  persons,  who  have  no  conception  whatever  even 
of  the  very  existence  of  another  sense  beyond  tliat  which  is  ap- 
parent in  the  mere  letter.  Without  injustice  to  such  characters, 
it  may  be  truly  said,  tliat,  having  previously  adopted  a  particular 
doctrine  of  their  own,  evidently  and  by  their  own  confession  not 
drawn  from  a  collation  of  the  whole  IFord^  but  of  certain  parts 
only,  they  cut  and  square  the  Oracles  of  divine  wisdom  just  as 
the  caprice  and  deformity  of  their  own  imagination  may  require. 
Hence,  if  they  meet  with  a  passage  in  Matthew,  or  in  Luke,  or 
in  any  other  of  the  inspired  books,  which  seems  to  oppose  their 
idea  of  the  natural  descent  of  Jesus,  and  to  present  him  to  our 
view  as  God  himself  clothed  with  Humanity,  they  have  instant 
recourse  to  the  Mexandrian  method  of  deciding  knotty  ques- 
tions ;  instead  of  unravelling,  expounding,  and  clearing  up  the 
difficulty  by  a  candid  appeal  to  other  parts  of  the  divine  testimo- 
ny, and  the  fair  exercise  of  reason  enlightened  by  revelation,  they 
seize  the  sword,  and  cut  the  knot,  by  voting  the  passage  in  ques- 
tion to  be  a  downright  forgery,  an  artful  interpolation,  a  mere  im- 
position of  some  unknown  and  hitherto  unheard-of  priest.  They 
accordingly  mark  it  in  their  printed  Bibles  as  such,  and  teach 
their  children  to  do  the  same. 

From  the  importance  of  the  subject,  this  article  has  been  ex- 
tended beyond  the  limits  proposed.  But  as  the  conclusions  de- 
rived from  it  are  applicable  to  many  other  parts  of  the  Word,  it 
is  hoped  that  the  observations,  which  have  been  submitted  to  the 
candour  and  good  sense  of  the  reader,  will  be  foujul  serviceable, 
not  only  in  removing  doubts  concerning  the  sanctity  and  authenti- 
city of  the  books  of  revelation,  but  also  in  establishing,  as  the 
very  first  and  most  essential  of  all  the  doctrines  of  the  true  Chris- 
tian religion,  the  sole,  supreme,  and  excliisive  divinity  of  our 
blessed  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Chhist. 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  15 

[3.]  Matt.  ii.  1,  2,  11.  "  Now  when  Jesus  was  born  in  Betli- 
"  lehem  of  Judea,  in  the  days  of  Herod  the  king,  behold,  there 
"  came  wise-men  from  the  east  to  Jerusalem,  saying.  Where  is  he 
"  that  is  born  King  of  the  Jews  ?  for  we  have  seen  hi-s  star  in  the 
"  east,  and  are  come  to  worship  him.  And  when  they  were  come 
"  into  the  house  (where  Jesus  was,)  they  saw  the  young  Child 
"  with  Mary  his  mother,  and  fell  down,  and  ivorshipped  him  : 
"  and  when  they  had  opened  their  treasures,  they  presented  unto 
"  him  gifts  ;  gold,  and  frankincense,  and  myrrh." 


When  it  is  considered,  that  the  chief  design  of  all  revelation 
is  to  put  an  end  to  idolatry,  and  to  lead  men.  to  the  knowledge 
and  worship  of  the  true  God,  it  is  impossible  to  read  this  passage 
without  perceiving  either  that  the  Evangelist  has  mistaken  his  ob- 
ject, or  else  that  the  infant  child  Jesus  was  worthy  to  receive  the 
divine  honours  paid  him  by  the  wise-men  of  the  east.  But  tiie 
former  supposition  cannot  for  a  moment  be  admitted,  becau&e  the 
whole  tenour  of  the  Old  Testament  leads  us  to  expect  the  coming 
of  Jehovah  in  the  form  of  a  Man,  and  the  whole  body  of  the  New 
teaches  that  he  actualli/  did  so  come.  The  example,  therefore, 
which  the  wise-men  hold  out  to  the  rest  of  mankind,  of  prostrat- 
ing themselves  at  the  feet  of  him,  whom  they  came  from  afar  for  the 
sole  purpose  of  worshipping,  added  to  the  countenance  and  re- 
commendation which  is  given  it  at  the  very  commencement  of  the 
Evangelical  Word,  is  evidence  of  the  first  ordej-  that  the  genuine 
spirit  of  the  true  Christian  religion,  the  very  life  and  soul  of  the 
succeeding  revel-ation,  consists  in  the  acknowledgment  and  humble 
adoration  of  the  Great  God  himself  thus  made  manifest  in  the 
flesh.  The  star  seen  in  the  east  is  the  light  of  revelation,  or 
knowledge  from  heaven,  leading  and  directing  those,  who  are  ca- 
pable of  understanding  it,  to  bring  all  their  gifts  of  pure  and  ho- 
ly worship  to  him,  who  is  alone  entitled  to  receive  them,  and  who 
in  return  enriches  the  worshipper  wi^:h  the  sight,  the  presence, 
and  the  love  of  his  God. 


16  A. SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

[4.]  Matt.  iii.  3.  "  This  [John  the  Baptist]  is  he  that  Avas 
<•  spoken  of  by  Esaias  the  prophet,  saying.  The  voice  of  one  cry- 
"  ing  in  the  wilderness,  Prepare  ye  the  ivaij  of  the  Lord,  make 
"  his  paths  straight."  See  also  chap.  xi.  7  to  14.  Mark  i.  2,  3. 
Luke  iii.  4.  John  i.  23. 


The  passage  here  quoted  from  the  prophet  Isaiah  is  to  be  found 
in  chap.  xl.  3,  and  is  there  expressed  in  the  following  terms : 
"  The  voice  of  him  that  crieth  in  the  wilderness,  Prepare  ye  the 
"  way  of  Jehovah,  make  straight  in  the  desert  a  highway  for  our 
••  God.''''  The  term  Jehovah  in  the  Old  Testament,  when  re- 
ferred to  in  the  New,  is  uniformly  rendered  Lord;  and  this  lat- 
ter term  being  constantly  applied  to  Jesus,  evidently  as  a  sub- 
stitute for  the  name  Jehovah,  at  once  determines  the  sense,  in 
which  we  are  to  understand  the  prophet's  words,  and  authorizes 
us  to  consider  Jehovah  and  Jesus  as  one  and  the  same  God 
and  Lord  ;  with  this  only  difference,  that  Jehovah  denotes  the 
Lord  not  yet  come  into  the  world,  or  not  yet  incarnate  ;  whereas 
Jesus  or  the  Lord  denotes  Jehovah  actually  appearing  in  the 
tvorld  in  the  form  of  a  Man,  or,  as  it  is  well  expressed  by  the 
apostle  Paul,  God  manifest  in  the  flesh.  This  also  appears  to  be 
one  reason  why  in  those  passages  of  the  New  Testament,  which 
are  parallel  with  others  in  the  Old,  the  term  Lord  is  used  in- 
stead of  Jehovah.  To  which  may  be  added  this  further  obser- 
vation, tliat  when  the  Old  Testament  was  written,  the  Lord  was 
properly  Jehovah  ;  but  when  the  New  Testament  was  written, 
Jehovah  was  and  is  properly  the  Lord. 

Again  :  John  the  Baptist  is  admitted  by  all,  v/ho  make  a  pro- 
fession of  Christianity,  to  have  been  the  precursor  of  Jesus  as 
the  Messiah,  or  the  Christ  ;  which  indeed  John  expressly  de- 
clares of  himself  in  John  iii.  28.  But  the  passage  now  under 
consideration  announces  him  to  be  at  tlie  same  time  the  forerun- 
ner of  Jehovah  himself,  making  straight  in  the  desert  a  highway 
for  our  God.  Can  language  be  more  explicit  in  holding  out  to 
mankind,  that  Jesus  and  Jehovah,  Christ  and  God,  though 
distinguished  by  different  names  according  to  the  different  rela- 
tions arising  from  visible  form  and  visible  essence,  are  still  one 


UNITARIANS,  THINITARIANS,  &c.  1? 

and  the  same  Divine  Being,  coming  into  the  world  to  visit  his 
creatures,  and  to  bless  them  with  his  presence  ? 


[5.]  Matt.  iii.  11,  12.  John  the  Baptist  said,  "  I  indeed  bap- 
*'  tize  you  with  water  unto  repentance ;  but  he  tliat  cometh  after 
"  me,  is  mightier  than  /,  whose  shoes  I  am  not  worthy  to  bear  ; 
"  he  shall  baptize  you  with  the  Holi/  Spirit,  and  with  fire : 
"  Whose  fan  is  in  his  hand,  and  he  will  thoroughly  purge  his 
^'^  floor,  and  gather  his  wheat  into  the  garner  :  but  he  will  burn 
"  up  the  chaff  with  unquenchable  fire."  .See  also  Mark  i.  7,  8. 
Luke  iii.  16,  17.  John  i.  15,  26,  27. 


"  Among  them  that  are  born  of  women,"  says  our  Lord,  Matt. 
xi.  11,  "  there  hath  not  risen  a  greater  than  John  the  Baptist :" 
and  yet  this  same  Jolin  declares  of  himself,  that  he  is  not  worthy 
to  bear  even  the  shoes  of  Jesus.  Such  an  expression  of  humilia- 
tion and  self-abasement  can  never  be  justified,  as  proper  for  one 
mortal  man  to  make  to  another  ;  still  less  when  we  consider,  that  it 
was  uttered  by  one,  who,  witli  respect  to  dignity  of  character  and 
olfice,  yielded  to  neither  prophet,  priest,  nor  king,  among  all  the 
sons  of  Adam  that  had  preceded  him.  John,  therefore,  in  bear- 
ing such  high  testimony  of  Jesus,  instructs  us,  that  he  was  more 
than  a  mortal  man  ;  and  that  we  also  in  our  turn  ought  to  bow 
down  to  him,  in  acknowledgment  of  his  great  power  and  majesty. 
For  surely  he,  who  can  baptize  man  with  the  Holy  Sjnrit  of  truth, 
and  with  the  pure  fire  of  celestial  love,  can  be  no  other  tlian  the 
fountain  of  all  spiritual  light  and  life,  and  as  such  must  be  en- 
titled  to  the  adoration  of  all  hearts. 

This  is  further  confirmed  by  John's  ascribing  to  Jesus  the  di- 
vine prerogative  of  executing  judgment  on  the  race  qf  man,  of  se- 
parating the  good  from  the  evil,  and  of  saving  those  who  shall  be 
found  meet  for  the  kingdom  of  lieav.en.  And  here  it  is  observable, 
that  the  world  or  church,  containing  both  the  good  and  the  bad, 
is  called  his  floor,  which  is  to  be  thoroughly  purged  and  purified 
by  the  fan  of  separation  in  his  hand  ;  and  that  the  righteous  are 

C 


18  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

described  as  his  wheat,  -which  shall  be  gatliered  into  the  garner, 
while  the  unrighteous,  or  the  chaffs  shall  be  destroyed.  All 
which  particulars  evidently  imply,  that  Jesus  is  Lord  and  owner 
of  the  church,  and  that  from  him  alone  is  derived  salvation  and 
eternal  happiness. 


[6,]  Matt.  iv.  7.  When  the  devil  came  to  Jesus,  and  tempted 
him,  "  Jesus  said  unto  him,  It  is  written,  "  Thou  shalt  not  ieuijd 
"  the  Lord  thy  God."     See  also  Luke  iv.  12. 


The  passage  here  alluded  to  is  to  be  found  in  Deut.  vi.  16, 
where  it  is  thus  expressed  :  "  Ye  shall  not  tempt  Jehovah  youu 
"  God."  The  observations  already  made  (art.  4,)  on  the  substi- 
tution of  the  term  Lord  instead  of  Jehovah,  will  again  apply 
with  equal  effect  on  the  present  occasion.  The  design  of  the  de- 
vil was  to  tempt  Jesus  ;  but  Jesus  instantly  rebuffs  him  by  an 
appeal  to  the  written  Word,  and  by  an  application  of  the  same  to 
himself,  "  Thou  shalt  not  tempt  the  Lord  thy  God  ;"  thus  as- 
suming the  first  and  highest  title  of  divinity,  which  yet  exclusive- 
ly belongs  to  the  Supreme  God.  Irresistibly  therefore  it  follows, 
that  Jehovah  of  the  Old  Testament,  and  Jesus  of  the  New,  are 
indivisibly  and  consequently  identically  one  and  the  same  Lord 
God  Almighty. 


[7.]  Matt.  v.  21,  22;  27,  28;  51,  32;  33,  34;  38,  39;  43, 
44.  "  Ye  have  heard  that  it  was  said  by  them  of  old  time.  Thou 
"  shalt  not  kill,  &c.  But  I  say  unto  you,  That  whosoever  is  an- 
"  gry  with  his  brother  without  a  cause,  shall  be  in  danger  of  the 
"  judgment,  &c. — Ye  have  heard,  that  it  was  said  by  them  of  old 
"  time,  Thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery.  But  /  say  unto  you, 
"  That  whosoever  looketh  on  a  woman  to  lust  after  her,  hath 
"  committed  adultery  with  her  already  in  his  heart. — It  hath 
"  been  said,  Whosoever  shall  put  away  his  wife,  let  him  give  her 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  19 

-'  a  writing  oCdivorcement.  But  I  say  unto  you,  That  whosoever 
"  shall  put  away  his  wife,  saving  for  the  cause  of  fornication, 
"  causeth  her  to  commit  adultery  :  and  whosoever  shall  marry 
"  her  that  is  divorced,  committeth  adultery. — Again,  ye  have 
"  heard,  tiiat  it  hath  been  said  by  them  of  old  time.  Thou  shalt 
*'  not  forswear  thyself,  but  shalt  perform  unto  the  Lord  thine 
"  oaths.  But  I  say  unto  you,  Swear  not  at  all,  &c. — Ye  have 
''  heard,  that  it  hath  been  said.  An  eye  for  an  eye,  and  a  tooth 
"  for  a  tooth.  But  1  say  unto  you,  That  ye  resist  not  evil,  &,c.--- 
"-•  Ye  have  heard,  that  it  hath  been  said.  Thou  shalt  love  thy 
"  neighbour,  and  hate  thine  enemy.  But  /  say  unto  ifou,  Love 
••♦  your  enemies,  bless  them  that  curse  you,  do  go<^*  to  them  that 
'•  hate  you,  and  pray  for  them  v/ho  despitefuUj  use  you,  and  per- 
^'  secute  you."     See  also  Luke  vi.  27  to  ^rf- 


In  all  these  verses  Jesus  refers  to  the  various  commandments 
in  the  Old  Testament  against  murder,  adultery,  perjury,  and  re- 
taliation of  injuries ;  and  then,  apparently  by  way  of  contrast,  but 
in  reality  by  way  o^'  explanation  or  elucidation,  and  in  an  air  of 
equal  authority  ifith  Jehovah  himself,  who  first  gave  the  divine 
laws  by  Moses,  he  adds,  "  But  T  say  unto  you,''''  &c.  Then  fol- 
low the  same  laws  from  his  own  mouth,  but  in  a  more  interior 
form,  which  may  be  thus  expressed  :  "  Tiiou  shalt  not  harbour  in 
"  thy  breast  either  hatred  or  resentment  against  thy  neighbour. 
"  Thou  shalt  not  indulge  lust  or  wantonness,  either  in  the  inten- 
"  tion,  or  in  the  thought.  Thou  shalt  not  abide  and  confirm  thy- 
"  self  in  the  mere  externals  of  the  church  and  of  religion,  but 
"  shalt  enter  by  degrees  into  the  interior  perception  and  love  of 
"  divine  things.  Thou  shalt,  in  all  thy  conduct  towards  men, 
•'  and  in  every  circumstance  of  life,  cherish  and  exercise  the  hea- 
*'■  venly  principles  of  love,  charity,  and  universal  benevolence." 

Such  is  the  spirit  of  all  the  divine  laws  contained  in  the  Word, 
whether  as  given  by  Jehovah,  or  as  repeated  and  new-modelled 
by  Jesus.  To  which  may  be  added  what  the  Lord  says  to  his 
disciples  in  another  place,  "  A  new  commandment  I  give  unto 
"  you,  That  ye  love  one  another,"  John  xiii.  34. 


20  A  SEAL  UPON  THt:  LIPS  OF 

Is  it  a  credible  thing,  that  any  mere  man,  conscious  of  his  own 
comparative  insignificance  in  the  great  scale  of  creation,  but  of 
his  absolute  7iuUity  when  either  the  name  or  the  nature  of  Deity 
is  brought  into  view,  would  have  the  arrogance  and  presumption 
to  put  himself  on  record  as  one  that  was  equally  authorized  to 
give  the  law  to  the  rest  of  mankind,  and  at  the  same  time  equally 
capable  of  doing  so,  with  the  Creator  himself?  If  a  mere  mariy 
with  only  a  common  degree  of  humility,  and  knowledge  of  him- 
self, would  shrink  with  horror  fi-om  the  very  idea  of  such  wicked- 
ness, "iww  much  more  would  an  angel,  or  a  created  being  of  still 
superior  oi^r,  (if  any  such  may  be  imagined,)  whose  pre-emi- 
nence over  all  «thers  can  solely  arise  from  a  more  perfect  know- 
ledge of  himself,  and  a  more  just  sense  of  the  infinite  perfections 
of  the  Great  First  Cause,  which  he  must  necessarily  possess,  than 
those  can  possibly  acq^uire,  who  are  placed  in  the  lower  circles  of 
existence ! 

From  a  due  consideration,  then,  oV  all  these  circumstances,  it 
appears  most  evident,  that,  as  Jesus  thovight  it  no  robbery,  no 
derogation  from  the  high  character  of  Jehovak,  to  assume  to  him- 
self the  whole  authority  and  legislative  poiver  of  the  Supreme 
God,  he  must  in  fact  have  been  that  very  God,  that  same  Jeho- 
vah, who  originally  gave  the  law,  and  who  therefore  had  the  ex- 
clusive right  to  new-model  or  explain  the  divine  precepts,  ac- 
cording to  the  varying  states  of  mankind,  and  the  dictates  of  his 
own  infinite  and  eternal  wisdom. 


[8.]  Matt.  viii.  2,  3.  "  There  came  a  leper  to  Jesus,  and 
"  worshipped  him,  saying,  Lord,  if  thou  wilt,  thou  canst  make 
"  me  clean.  And  Jesus  put  forth  his  hand,  and  touched  him, 
"  saying,  I  will,  be  thou  clean.  And  immediately  his  leprosy  was 
«  cleansed."     See  also  Mark  i.  40  to  42.     ^^uke  v.  12,  13. 


Would  Jesus  admit  and  receive  worship,  if  he  were  merely  a 
juan,  a  prophet,  or  a  delegated  messenger  from  the  high  God? 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  21 

Twice  did  the  apostle  John,  in  his  ignorance,  attempt  to  fall  down 
and  worship  an  angel,  who  was  sent  by  the  Supreme  God  to 
shew  him  things  to  come,  as  in  Apoc.  xix.  10;  chap.  xxii.  8,  9. 
But  as  often  did  the  angel  refuse  to  be  honoured  in  such  a  way, 
and  as  often  direct  him  to  the  true  God :  "  See  thou  do  it  not :  I 
"  am  thy  fellow-servant,  and  of  thy  brethren  that  have  the  testi- 
"  mony  of  Jesus  :  worship  God.^^  Not  so  Jesus  ;  for  being  him- 
self the  God  of  angels,  of  prophets,  and  of  wise  men,  or  what 
amounts  to  the  same  thing,  being  He  who  sends  and  commissions 
them  to  perform  his  will  in  their  ditferent  functions,  (Apoc.  xxii. 
10.  Matt,  xxiii.  34.)  he  views  with  complacency  every  act  of 
worship,  when  directed  to  his  own  divine  persson ;  and,  in  token 
of  his  approbation,  stretches  out  his  hand,  and  either  cleanses  a 
leper,  heals  an  infirmity,  or  casts  out  a  devil. 

In  the  present  instance  the  leper  not  only  offers  him  the 
honour  of  external  adoration,  but  accompanies  it  with  a  profes- 
sion of  faith  in  his  divine  omnipotence,  saying,  "  Lord,  if  thou 
"  wilt,  thou  canst  make  me  clean."  To  whom  the  Lord  in  mercy 
answered,  "  I  will,  he  thou  clean .-"  and  instantly  the  effect  of  his 
mercy  and  omnipotence  is  visible,  the  faith  of  the  leper  is  con- 
firmed, his  worship  accepted,  and  the  malady  healed. 

Under  all  these  circumstances,  is  it  possible  for  a  moment  to 
doubt,  that  Jesus  is  God  ^  and  if  God,  that  he  is  the  only  God, 
since  a  second  God,  or  an  equal  cannot  be  given  ? 


[9.]  Matt.  viii.  6  to  10,  13.  "  There  came  unto  Jesus  a  centu- 
"  rion,  beseeching  him,  and  saying,  Lord,  my  servant  lieth  at 
"  home  sick  of  the  palsy,  grievously  tormented.  And  Jesus  saith 
"unto  him,  I  will  come  and  heal  him.  Tlie  centurion  answered 
*'  and  said.  Lord,  I  am  not  worthy  that  thou  shouldst  come  under 
"  my  roof:  but  speak  the  word  only,  and  my  servant  shall  be 
"  healed.  For  I  am  a  man  under  authority,  having  soldiers  under 
"  me  ;  and  I  say  to  this  man,  Go,  and  he  goeth ;  and  to  another, 
«  Come,  and  he  cameth  ;  and  to  my  servant,  Do  this,  and  he  doth 
♦<  it.     When  Jlsus  heard  it,  he  marvelled,  and  said  to  them  that 


ti-2  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

"  followed,  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  I  have  not  found  so  great  faith. 
«•  no  not  in  Israel.  And  Jesus  said  unto  the  centurion,  Go  thy 
"  way,  and  as  thou  hast  believed^  so  be  it  done  unto  thee.  And 
•^^  his  servant  was  healed  in  the  self-same  hour."  See  also  Luke 
\ii.  2  to  10. 


Here  is  an  example  of  self-humiliation  on  the  part  of  the  cen- 
turion, and  at  the  same  time  of  faith  in  the  supernatural  power 
of  Jesus  to  accomplish,  bif  a  word,  what  appears  to  belong  to 
Omnipotence  only.  Equivalent  to  this  is  that  passage  in  tlie 
Psalms,  "  By  the  word  of  Jehovah  were  the  heavens  made  ;  and 
♦'  all  the  host  of  them  by  the  breath  of  his  mouth,''''  Ps.  xxxiii.  6. 
And  again,  "  He  sent  his  word  and  healed  them,  and  delivered 
"  them  from  their  destructions,"  Ps.  cvii.  20.  In  each  case  the 
word,  the  breath  of  Jehovah,  or  of  Jesus,  performs  a  miracle, 
first  the  miracle  of  creation,  and  afterwards  the  miracle  of  pre- 
servation ;  both  equally  requiring  a  divine  power,  and  both  equal- 
ly effected  by  the  same  power.  No  wonder  then  that  the  work? 
of  Jesus  excited  the  admiration  and  astonishment  of  the  sazinir 
multitude:  for  as  of  Jehovah,  so  also  of  Jesus  it  is  written, 
that  "  his  tvord  was  with  poiver,'^  Luke  iv.  32. 

What  an  idea  must  the  centurion  have  had  of  the  person,  the 
character,  and  the  resources  of  Jesus  !  He  must  have  felt  in  his 
breast  a  conviction,  that  in  the  Man,  whom  he  addressed,  were 
actually  collected  or  concentrated,  though  in  a  manner  incompre- 
hensible to  finite  reason,  all  the  attributes  and  perfections  of 
Deity  itself.  He  must  have  viewed  him  rather  as  a  God,  than  as  a 
Man,  or  more  justly  still,  as  both  God  and  Man,  united  in  one  per- 
son,t\\a.t  is,  AS  Divinity  manifesting  itself,  and  yet  at  the  same 
time  as  it  were  hiding*  itself,  under  the  form  of  Ilumanitij.  Such 


*  "  Verily  thou  art  a  God  that  hidest  thyself,  O  God  of  Israel,  the  Sa- 
"  viorcr,"  Isa.  xlv.  15.  This  passage  of  the  Word  confirms,  and  is  also  ex- 
plained by,  the  circumstance  of  the  Divinity  as  it  were  hiding  itself,  and  at 
the  same  time  manifesting  itself  according  to  the,  capacity  of  the  creature 
to  bear  the  glory,  when  it  assumed  Humanity  for  the  purpose  of  saving 
mankind. 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  23 

a  faith  was  indeed  rarely  to  be  found,  certainly  not  among  the 
Jewish  people,  as  a  body,  wlio  were  in  possession  of  Moses  and 
the  Prophets,  and  who  on  that  account  ought  to  have  recognized 
in  Jesus  their  long-expected  Messiah.  But,  on  the  contrary,  like 
many  in  our  own  day  who  call  themselves  Christians,  they  in 
general  regarded  him  as  a  mere  man,  And  suffered  tlie  veil  of  his 
flesh,  which  was  assumed  as  a  merciful  accommodation  to  their 
states,  to  become  the  very  obstacle  to  their  acknowledgment  of 
his  divine  title.  Not  so  the  Roman  officer,  who,  as  a  gentile  free 
from  the  prepossessions  and  prejudices  of  an  hypocritical  and 
blind  faith,  which  the  perverted  church  had  imposed  upon  it's 
members,  was  prepared  to  embrace  the  true  and  living  faith,  as 
soon  as  it's  Divine  Author  was  presented  to  his  view.  On  which 
occasion  our  Lord  observes,  "  I  have  not  found  so  great  faith^  no 
"  not  in  Israel." 

To  acknowledge  the  Divinity  of  the  Lord's  Humanity,  and  to 
adore  him  alone  as  the  Supreme  and  Omnipotent  God,  not  mere- 
ly in  lip,  but  in  heart  and  in  life,  is  therefore  the  very  kind  of 
faith,  which  was,  and  still  is,  distinctly  approved  of  by  the  Lord 
himself:  it  is  the  key,  which  opens  the  gate  of  heaven,  and 
introduces  into  the  palace  of  the  King  :  it  is  that  in  man,  which 
constitutes  his  capacity  of  enjoying  the  presence  of  his  God, 
and  of  becoming  himself  more  and  more  to  eternity  an  image  and 
likeness  of  him,  who  is  at  once  the  only  true  God,  and  the  only 
self-eaistent  J^an.  To  a  faith  like  this  every  thing  is  possible, 
which  can  best  contribute  to  the  well-being  of  him  who  possesses 
it :  (Mark  ix.  23  :)  and  indeed  in  all  cases,  according  to  the 
quality  and  degree  of  a  man's  faith,  such  uniformly  is  the  return 
into  his  own  bosom.  "  .4s  thoii  hast  believed,  so  be  it  done  nntr> 
»^  thee:' 


[10.]  Matt.  \iii.  16.  «  When  the  even  was  come,  they  brought 
"  unto  Jesus  many  that  were  possessed  with  devils:  and  he  cast 
«  out  the  spirits  with  his  word,  and  healed  all  that  were  sicjc.'" 
See  also  Mark  i.  23  to  27,  34,  39.  Luke  iv.  40.  41. 


24  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OK 

We  liave  already  in  tlie  last  article  considered  the  powerful 
effect  of  the  Lord's  word  in  healing  the  centurion's  servant :  a 
miracle  performed  upon  the  body  of  an  absent  man,  and  therefore 
plainly  testifying  that  the  material  world  itself  was  under  the  im- 
mediate control  and  dominion  of  Jesus.  But  the  present  pas- 
sage announces,  that  his  divine  authority  was  not  confined  with' 
in  the  limits  of  the  natural  world,  but  that  it  extended  even  to 
the  world  of  spirits,  where  the  very  devils  heard  his  voice,  and 
trembled  as  they  yielded  an  unwilling  obedience  to  his  commands- 
(James  ii.  19.) 

What !  devils  tremble  at  the  voice  of  a  mere  man,  whom  they 
could  in  an  instant  destroy  both  as  to  his  soul  and  his  body, 
were  they  not  every  moment  restrained  by  a  divine  power  !  No : 
but  from  the  presence,  and  at  the  word,  of  Him,  who  hath  all 
power  both  in  heaven  and  on  earth,  (Matt,  xxviii.  18,)  and  who 
consequently  can  be  no  less  than  the  God  of  the  universe,  they 
fly  with  precipitation  to  their  dens,  and  call  upon  the  mountains 
and  the  rocks  to  fall  on  them,  and  to  hide  them  from  a  counte- 
nance, which  they  know  not  how  to  endure.  (Apoc.  vi.   15,  16.) 

If  devils,  then,  in  the  plenitude  of  their  pride  and  their  power, 
sink  into  the  dust  when  they  hear  but  the  voice  of  Jesus,  or  the 
distant  sound  of  his  feet,  what  a  lesson  of  instruction  ought 
their  example  to  furnish  to  the  man,  who  calls  himself  a  Socinian  ! 
an  Unitaria7i  J  to  the  man,  who  still  refuses  to  acknowledge  the 
Saviour  in  any  other  character,  than  that  of  a  dependent,  finite, 
impotent  worm,  like  himself  J  But  it  may  be,  the  medium,  through, 
which  he  has  been  used  to  look  at  the  Scriptures,  tinges,  obscures, 
and  distorts  the  objects  of  his  sight,  so  that  he  sees  them  either 
in  confusion,  or  in  perversion.  If  so,  let  him  for  once  avail  him- 
self of  the  eyes,  the  ears,  and  the  understanding  of  a  disembo- 
died but  a  Satanic  spirit — of  a  devil:  he  will  learn  a  truth,  which, 
though  borrowed  at  first,  may  hereafter  become  his  own  :  he  will 
perceive,  that  the  invisible  powers  of  darkness  are  all  subject  to 
the  word,  the  nod,  the  look  of  tliat  Divine  Man,  whose  domi 
nion,  both  in  the  spiritual  and  in  the  natural  world,  is  co-exten- 
sive with  the  utmost  limits  of  the  wide  creation. 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  25 

[11.]  Matt,  viii.  23  to  27.  "  When  Jesus  was  entered  into  a 
''  sliip,  his  disciples  followed  him.  And  behold,  there  arose  a 
"'  great  tempest  in  the  sea,  insomuch  that  the  ship  was  covered 
-'  with  tlie  waves  :  but  he  was  asleep.  And  his  disciples  came  to 
'Miini,  and  awoke  him,  saying,  Lord,  save  us:  we  perish.  And 
"  he  saith  unto  them.  Why  are  ye  fearful,  O  ye  of  little  faith  ? 
"  Then  he  arose  and  rebuked  the  winds  and  the  sea,  and  there  ivas 
^^  a  great  calm.  But  the  men  marveltfed,  saying,  Jfliut  manner 
''  of  man  is  this,  that  even  the  winds  and  the  sea  obey  him  ?"  See 
also  Mark  iv.  35  to  41.  Luke  viii.  22  to  25. 


Can  any  thing  short  of  omnipotence  rebuke  the  winds  and  the 
sea  with  such  elVect,  as  to  produce  an  instantaneous  calm  in  both 
elements  }  Or  can  the  Being,  whose  commands  are  tlius  irresisti- 
ble, even  when  directed  to  the  raging  tempest,  be  any  other  than 
the  God  of  natiire  himself,  though  disguised  in  a  human  form  ? 
We  have  read  of  heathen  gods,  who  were  supposed  to  bear  rule 
over  the  wnnds  and  the  waves.  But  never  did  fable  itself  2:ive 
to  imaginary  deities  such  entire  dominion  over  the  works  of  cre- 
ation, as  we  find  was  actually  exercised  by  the  Divine  Man  Je- 
sus Christ.  Well  might  the  astonishment  of  the  mariners  com- 
pel them  to  exclaim,  "  What  manner  of  man  is  this  !  Was  he  not 
"just  now  locked  in  the  embraces  of  sleep?  an  evidence  that  he 
"is  subject  to  the  infirmities  and  necessities  of  humanity,  in 
"  common  with  the  rest  of  mankind  ?  How  then  is  it,  that  even 
•■  inanimate  nature,  in  it's  most  turbulent  state,  is  in  a  moment 
*'  softened  into  obedience  to  his  v.ord  ?  Surely  an  innate  power, 
"  far  beyond  the  measure  of  a  mere  man,  and  equivalent  to  omni- 
^^  potence  itself,  must  in  some  incomprehensible  way  lodge  within 
"  that  humble  form  !  How  else  is  it  to  be  accounted  for,  that  the 
"  very  ivinds  and  the  sea  obey  him?'''' 

In  this  manner,  it  is  probable,  the  mariners,  who  were  wit- 
nesses to  the  extraordinary  miracle  here  recorded,  must  have 
reasoned  in  themselves :  and  in  a  similar  manner  must  every 
man  reason,  who  believes  in  the  truth  of  tlie  Gospel,  and  who  is 
not  previously  disposed  to  do  violence  to  his  own  understanding,. 

D 


g6  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

when  such  irrefragable  proof  of  the  divinity  of  Jesus  is  given  in 
the  Word. 

Who  then  can  forbear  drawing  the  parallel  between  the  migh- 
ty acts  of  Jehovah  in  the  Old  Testament,  and  the  divine  mira- 
cles of  Jesus  in  the  New  ?  Of  the  former  it  is  written,  "  0  Je- 
"  HovAH  God  of  hosts,  who  is  a  strong  Jah  like  unto  thee  ?  or 
"  to  thy  faithfulness  round  about  thee  ?  Thou  rulest  the  raging 
"  of  the  sea :  when  the  waves  thereof  arise,  thou  stillest  them,'''' 
Ps.  Ixxxix.  8,  9.  And  of  the  latter  it  is  recorded,  that  "  he  arose, 
"  and  rebuked  the  wind  and  the  raging  of  the  water :  and  they 
^'  ceased,  and  there  was  a  calm,''''  Luke  viii.  24.  Identity  of  attri- 
bute, character,  and  act,  sufficiently  demonstrates  identity  of 
person  :  but  when  these  unite  in  proclaiming  unlimited  dominion, 
and  infinity  of  power,  we  are  under  the  highest  obligation  to  con- 
clude, that,  however  varied  the  name  of  the  great  Being  to  whom 
they  refer,  still  one  and  the  same  infinite  and  eternal  God  is  in- 
variably understood. 


[12.]  Matt.  viii.  31,  32.  "  The  devils  besought  Jesus,  saying, 
"  if  thou  cast  us  out,  suffer  us  to  go  away  into  the  herd  of  swine. 
"  And  he  said  unto  them.  Go."  See  also  Mark  v.  12,  13.  Luke 
viii.  31,  32. 


Would  devils  of  any  order  or  description  pet'it'ion  a  mere  man  } 
No,  truly  :  still  less  would  these  powerful  devils,  who,  together 
with  the  two  men  possessed  by  them,  are  described  in  ver.  28,  as 
being  "  so  exceeding  fierce,  that  iw  \_mere~\  man  might  pass  by 
"  that  way."  Again,  could  any  mere  man  grant,  or  not  grant, 
their  petition,  as  might  seem  good  in  his  own  eyes .''  It  is  too  in- 
credible to  be  seriously  admitted.  Yet  it  is  not  only  true,  that 
the  spirits  of  darkness  solicited  permission  of  Jesus  to  enter  in- 
to the  herd  of  swine,  after  being  cast  out  of  the  bodies  of  the 
men,  but  that  he  also  in  his  divine  wisdom  suffered  them  to  do  so. 
The  acknowledgment  of  such  power  and  autliority  on  the  one 
hand,  and  the  actual  exercise  of  it  on  the  other,  justify  us  there- 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  27 

fore  in  concluding,  that  he,  who  possessed  it,  must  have  been 
more  than  a  man,  or  in  other  words,  that  he  must  have  been  a 
Divine  and  Omnipotent  Man. 


[13.]  Matt.  ix.  2  to  6.  "  They  brought  to  hlin  a  man  sick  of 
''  the  palsy,  lying  on  a  bed  :  and  Jesus  seeing  their  faith,  said 
"  unto  the  sick  of  the  palsy,  Son,  be  of  good  clieer,  thy  sins  be 
^^  forgiven  thee.  And  behold,  certain  of  the  scribes  said  within 
"themselves,  This  man  hlasphemeth.  And  Jesus,  knowing  their 
"  thoughts,  said.  Wherefore  think  ye  evil  in  your  hearts  ?  For 
"  whether  is  it  easier  to  say.  Thy  sins  he  forgiven  thee ;  or 
"  to  say,  Arise  and  walk  ?  But  that  ye  may  know,  that  the  Son  of 
"  Man  hath  power  on  earth  to  forgive  sins,  (then  saith  he  to  the 
"  sick  of  the  palsy,)  Arise,  take  up  thy  bed,  and  go  unto  thine 
"  house."  See  also  Mark  ii.  3  to  12.  Luke  v.  18  to  26  ;  chap.  vii. 
47  to  50. 


No  mere  man  can  forgive,  remove,  or  cancel,  his  oivn  sins  and 
iniquities,  and  still  less  those  of  another  person.  For  all  sin  be- 
ing a  transgression  of  the  divine  law,  and  consequently  an  of- 
fence against  the  Supreme  Lawgiver  himself,  no  other  being  in 
heaven  or  on  eartli  can  possibly  liberate  or  save  from  the  penal- 
ties of  disobedience.  Hence  in  very  many  places  of  the  Old 
Testament  Jehovah  is  addressed,  as  alone  competent  to  forgive 
the  sins  of  his  creatures  :  and  in  the  New  Testament  also  the 
question,  though  suggested  by  scribes  and  Pharisees,  who  knew 
not  the  real  character  of  Jesus,  is  well  and  most  energetically 
put,"  Who  can  forgive  sins  hut  God  only?^^  Mark  ii.  7.  Luke 
V.  21.  But  Jesus  forgave  sins,  and  thus  healed  the  souls,  as  well 
as  the  bodies  of  men.  Jjisus  therefore,  by  this  one  act  of  divine 
authority,  virtually  claims  to  himself  the  prerogative  of  the  higli 
God  ;  and  thus  gains,  as  his  exclusive  right,  the  character,  the 
honour,  and  the  name  of  the  great  Jehovah. 

It  appears,  that  the  scribes,  who  were  present,  and  heard  Jesus 
pronounce  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  were  so  shocked  at  what  they 


£8  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

conceived  to  be  the  most  unjustifiable  arrogance  in  any  man,  even 
vere  he  a  prophet,  that  "  they  said  within  themselves,  This  vian 
"  hlasphemethy  And  so  truly  it  would  have  been  no  less  than 
blaspliemy,  to  assume  to  himself  what  belongs  to  God  only,  if 
Jesus  were  no  more  than  a  mere  man,  or  a  mere  prophet.  But 
that  he  was  in  reality  a  cliaracter  widely  ditterent,  and  infinitely 
superior  to  what  they  supposed  him  to  be,  is  plain  from  the  cir- 
cumstance of  his  knoiving  their  thoughts,  and  penetrating  the  se- 
cret recesses  of  their  hearts.  lie  therefore  rebutted  the  charge  of 
blasphemy,  which  they  only  contemplated  in  their  minds,  by  con- 
vincing them  that  he  was  privy  to  all  that  passed  within  them  ; 
and  in  his  turn  charged  thein  with  entertaining  evil  thoughts  con- 
cerning him,  in  even  so  much  as  doubting  his  divinity,  and  thus 
bringing  him  down  to  a  level  with  themselves.  "  "Wherefore  think 
I  "  ye  evil  in  your  hearts':'  ^^  '^y  do  ye  persevere  in  refusing  me 
"  that  honour,  to  which  I  am  equally  entitled  with  him,  whom  ye 
"  call  God  ?  Ye  will  acknowledge  indeed,  that  he  has  an  unlimit- 
"  ed  power  over  the  souls  and  the  bodies  of  men ;  and  whatso- 
"  ever  he  pleaseth,  he  can  perform,  whether  in  heaven  or  on 
"  earth.  Ye  will  bow  to  his  authority,  when  he  says,  "  I,  even 
"  I,  am  he  that  hlotteth  out  thy  transgressions  for  mine  ow  n  sake, 
*'  and  will  not  remember  thy  sins,^''  Isa.  xliii.  25.  '•  And  cannot 
"  ye  perceive,  that  the  same  power  is  also  exercised  by  me  ?  that 
*'  the  spirits  and  the  bodies  of  all  flesh  are  alike  in  my  hand,  and 
"  equally  subject  to  my  sovereign  will?  consequently  that  being 
"  possessed  of  omnipotence  in  each  world,  spiritual  and  natural, 
"  it  is  as  easy  for  me  to  pronounce,  Thr.  sins  be  forgiven  thee,  as 
"  to  say,  »irise  and  tvalk.  But  lo  convince  you,  and  all  others 
"  who  shall  hereafter  entertain  the  slightest  doubt  of  my  being 
"  the  only  true  God,  as  well  as  the  Son  of  Man,  wliocame  down 
^^  from  heaven,  and  yet  still  is  in  heaven,  (John  iii.  13,)  I  say  to 
"  the  sick  of  the  palsy,  because  his  faith  qualifies  him  for  the  dou- 
"  ble  blessing.  Be  healed  in  spirit,  be  healed  in  body  ;  thy  sins 
"  be  forgiven  thee;  arise,  take  up  thy  bed,  and  go  unto  thine 
"  house." 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c,  29 

[14.]  Matt.  ix.  18,  23,  25.  "  There  came  a  certain  ruler,  and 
"  ivorshipped  Jesus,  saying.  My  daughter  is  even  now  dead:  but 
"  come  and  lay  thy  hand  upon  lier,  and  she  shall  live.  And 
*'  when  Jesus  came  to  the  ruler's  house,  he  m  ent  in,  and  took 
"  her  by  the  hand,  and  the  maid  arose."  See  also  Mark  v.  22  to 
"  24,  35  to  43.     Luke  viii.  41,  42,  49  to  56.     John  ix.  38. 


Independent  of  the  miracle  here  performed,  which  is  only  one 
among  the  many  proofs  of  an  omnipotent  hand,  which  Jesus  ex- 
hibited in  the  days  of  his  flesh,  let  us  more  particularly  advert  to 
thfe  circumstance  of  his  being  ivorshipped  by  this  ruler  of  the  syna- 
gogue, who  is  elsewhere  described  as  falling  down  at  tke  feet  of 
Jesus,  and  beseeching  him  to  heal  his  daughter. 

If  worship  be  due  to  God  alone,  and  if  neither  man  nor  angel 
can  accept  of  such  honour,  without  being  guilty  of  the  highest  sa- 
crilege and  presumption^  while  nevertheless  our  Saviour  not  only 
suffers  it,  but  even  approves  and  rewards  it ;  what  ought  we  to 
infer  from  the  present,  and  many  other  instances,  recorded  in 
the  New  Testament,  of  divine  adoration  paid  to  Jesus  ?  What, 
but  tliat  he  was  richly  and  iruhj  entitled  to  it,  not  indeed  as  a 
mere  man,  not  as  an  angel  ov  archangel,  not  as  the  first  of  created 
beings,  no  nor  even  as  a  secondarij  God,  or  sharer  in  divinity 
with  some  other  unknown  and  unknowable  Deity,  supposed  to 
rank  above  him  ;  but  as  the  single,  sole,  and  supreme  God  him- 
self, who  after  many  ages  of  prophecy  at  lengtli  assumed  the 
form  of  Man,  and  tliereby  became  his  own  Divine  Word  incar- 
tiate  ? 

But  if  tlie  doctrine  here  advanced  be  indeed  the  truth  of  reve- 
lation ;  if  Jesus  be  the  Word  incarnate,  or  God  manifested  in  the 
flesh;  then  it  follows,  that  divine  worship  paid  to  any  other  than 
to  him  alone,  under  whatever  pretext,  custom,  or  authority,  is  no 
less  than  downright  idolatry.  For  as  there  is  and  can  be  only 
One  God,  so  all  true  worship  must  be  directed  to  him:  and  every 
deviation  or  departure  from  such  worship,  whether  in  the  affec- 
tion, ia  the  thought,  in  the  doctrine,  or  in  the  life,  must  necessa- 
rily be  idolatrous  in  it's  kind  and  degree.  Yet  notwithstanding 
all  this,  it  cannot  be  doubted,  but  the  Divine  Mercy  accepts  the 


so  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

intention  of  the  pious  and  the  sincere  of  every  denomination  un- 
der heaven,  not  imputing  to  them  their  ignorance  or  their  erroi'S, 
•vvhile  tljey  endeavour  to  live  in  charity  witl)  their  neighbour,  ac- 
cording to  the  best  light  Avhich  they  have  received. 

And  here  it  may  be  remarked  as  a  singular  circumstance, 
serving  to  point  out  tlie  contrariety  of  sentiment,  which  subsists 
between  the  Unitarian  so  called,  who  professes  to  worship  an  in- 
visible and  consequently  an  unknown  God,  and  the  Unitarian 
truly  deserving  the  name,^vho  worships  a  visible  God,  known  and 
made  manifest  in  tlie  flesh  as  a  Divine  Man.  The  former  Unita- 
rian charges  the  whole  body  of  Christians  with  idolatry,  because 
they  pay  /./o  much  honour,  too  much  reverence,  adoration,  and 
worship,  to  Jesus  Christ^  The  latter  Unitarian,  on  the  other 
hand,  also  charges  them  with  idolatry,  because  they  pay  him  too 
little  of  each,  or  rather  because  they  do  not  ivorship  him  at  all, 
but  some  other  Being,  whom  they  call  the  Father,  and  whom  they 
vainly  address  for  his  sake;  as  if  there  were  any  Deity,  or  any 
principle  of  Deity,  out  of,  above,  or  distinct  from  Jesus  Christ 
himself. 

Thus  the  two  kinds  of  Unitarians,  if  both  may  be  so  called,  are 
at  complete  issue  with  eacl\  other :  for  though  neither  can  see 
any  thing  hut  practical  idolatry  in  tlie  land,  and  both  profess  to 
believe  in  One  God,  jet,  as  they  do  not  both  acknowledge  the  same 
God,  no  two  characters  are  more  opposed,  in  respect  to  the  real 
Object  of  their  faith  and  worship.  Tlie  one  refuses  to  pay  divine 
honours  to  Jesus,  because  he  considers  him  unworthy  of  such 
high  distinction,  as  being  in  himself  nothing  superior  to  the  rest 
of  mankind,  or  if  superior,  still  a  dependent,  finite  creature  ;  and 
Iherefore,  so  regarding  him,  he  turns  his  back  upon  him,  and 
looks  into  infinite  space  for  some  other  Object,  whom  he  may  em- 
brace with  his  thought  and  affection  ;  but  finding  none  in  the 
ethereal  heaven,  and  none  upon  the  habitable  earth,  answering 
his  expectations,  he  suddenly  fixes  his  mind  upon  JS'atiire  in  her 
fust  and  purest  principles,  and  then  falls  down  and  worships  her 
as  tlie  very  Queen  of  heaven.  Tlie  other  kind  of  Unitarian,  well 
knowing  that  to  an  invisible  and  unknown  God,  by  whatever 
name  he  may  be  called,  neither  faith  nor  worship  can  possibly  be 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  31 

directed,  so  as  to  reach  and  embrace  it's  Object;  and  at  the  same 
time  believing  with  the  heart,  as  well  as  the  understanding,  the 
divine  testimony  of  the  Scriptures,  tliat  the  great  God  of  tlie  uni- 
verse, Jehovah  himself,  came  down  from  heaven  into  the  world, 
for  the  express  purpose  (among  other  things)  of  making  himself 
visible  and  approachable  to  his  creatures;  that,  in  order  to  ac- 
complish this  end,  he  actually  assumed  the  form  of  a  Man  ;  and 
that  in  this  form  he  was  known  as  tiieir  Saviour  and  Redeemer, 
tlieir  Father  and  their  God  ;  looks  up  with  confidence  and  hope 
to  the  great  Object  of  his  faith  and  love,  whom  he  can  see  with 
the  eyes  of  his  understanding,  whom  he  can  embrace  with  the  af- 
fections of  his  heart,  and  whom  he  can  tlierefore  worship  as  the 
One  God  over  all,  blessed  for  ever  and  ever. 

Such  and  so  great  is  the  difterence  between  the  worship  of 
those,  who-  profess  to  believe  in  an  invisible  Deity,  or  Supreme 
Ens,  pervading  the  universe,  and  co-extended  with  it,  and  the 
worship  of  those,  who  acknowledge  God  in  the  form  of  a  Man  ; 
not  a  material  man,  subject  to  the  limitations  or  mensurations  of 
either  space  or  time,  but  a  divinely -substantial  Man,  omnipresent 
in  all  spaces  without  space,  and  in  all  times  tvithout  time.  The 
one  kind  of  worship,  being  nothing  more  nor  less  than  pure  Theism 
or  Deism,  necessarily  resolves  itself  first  into  J\'aturalism,  then 
into  Materialism,  and  lastly  into  downright  Mhelsm.  The  other 
kind  raises  the  understanding,  and  together  with  it  the  affections 
of  the  heart,  from  nature  "  up  to  nature's  God  :"  it  views  it's 
Object,  and  perceives  him  to  be  altogether  lovely,  and  worthy  of 
divine  honour.  Instead,  therefore,  of  sinking  the  man  into  the 
dust  of  mere  matter,  or  distracting  his  imagination  with  delusive 
and  fantastical  forms,  which  must  necessarily  rise  up  in  the  mind, 
when  stretcliing  into  infinite  space,  or  groping  in  the  dark  cham- 
bers of  inanimate  nature,  in  search  of  a  God,  it  presents  before 
him  a  Divine  Man,  the  real  Creator  of  the  universe,  in  his  own 
substantial  form,  who  is  at  once  his  adorable  Parent  and  Bene- 
nefactor,  his  Friend  and  Protector,  his  Redeemer  and  Saviour- 
Jesus  Chris.t. 


32  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

[15.J  Matt.  ix.  20  to  22.  "  And  behold,  a  woman  which  wa;; 
"  diseased  with  an  issue  of  blood  twelve  years,  came  behind  him, 
"  and  touched  the  hem  of  his  garment.  For  she  said  within  hei- 
"  aelfy  If  I  mn If  but  touch  his  garment^  I  shall  he  ichole.  But 
"  Jesus  turned  himself  about,  and  when  he  saw  her,  he  said, 
"  Daughter,  be  of  good  comfort;  thy  faith  hath  made  thee  ivhole. 
"  And  tlie  woman  was  made  whole  from  that  hour."  See  also 
Mark  v.  25  to  34;  chap.  vi.  5&.  Luke  vi.  19;  chap.  viii. 
43  to  48. 


Tl\e  transaction  here  recorded  is  somewhat  varied  bj  the  differ- 
ent Evangelists.  Mark  states,  that  "  when  she  heard  of  Jesus, 
she  came  in  the  press  behind,  and  touched  his  garment.  And 
"  straightway  the  fountain  of  her  blood  was  dried  up:  and  she 
"  felt  in  her  body  that  she  was  healed  of  that  plague.  And  Jesus 
••  immediately  knoiving  in  himself  that  virtue  had  gone  out  of 
"  him,  turned  him  about  in  the  press  and  said,  JFho  touched  my 
"  clothes?  And  his  disciples  said  unto  him.  Thou  seest  the  mul- 
"  titude  thronging  thee,  and  sayest  thou,  Who  touched  me  ?  And 
"  he  looked  round  about  to  see  her  that  had  done  this  tiling.  But 
"  the  woman  fearing  and  trembling,  knowing  what  was  done  in 
"  her,  came  and  fell  down  before  him,  and  told  liim  all  the  truth. 
•'  And  he  said  unto  her.  Daughter,  thy  faith  hath  made  thee 
•'  ivhole  ;  go  in  peace,  and  be  whole  of  thy  plague."  Mark  v. 
!7  to  34. 

The  Evangelist  Luke  describes  the  circumstance  in  nearly  the 
same  w'ords;  but  instead  of  Jesus  saying,  "Who  touched  my 
"  clothes  1^"  he  is  represented  as  saying,  "  Who  touched  me  ?^* 
And  when  Peter,  and  they  that  were  with  him  expressed  their 
surprize  at  such  a  question,  while  the  multitude  was  thronging 
and  pressing  upon  iiim,  "Jesus  said.  Somebody  hath  touched 
"  me:  fur  I  perceive  that  virtue  is  gone  out  of  me.''''  Luke  viii. 
45,  46. 

Whoever  seriously  reflects  on  tlie  miracle  here  performed, 
must  acknowledge  that  it  was  a  most  extraordinary  one  indeed, 
because,  apparently,  it.  was  the  result  of  faith,  on  the  part  of  the 
woman,  without  a  corresponding  consciousness  on  the  part  oi 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  S3 

JESUS,  who  was  it's  Object.  But  that  this  could  not  in  reality  be 
the  case,  is  plain  from  the  circumstance,  first,  of  Jesus  knowing 
in  himself  tha.t  the  healing  virtue  had  proceeded  from  him  ;  and, 
secondly,  of  his  turning  about  to  see  the  woman,  whose  faith  he 
was  already  apprized  of,  and  approved.  He,  therefore,  who  in 
the  midst  of  a  crowd  pressing  on  all  sides  upon  him,  could  distin- 
guish the  faith  of  an  obscure  individual  behind  him  from  every 
other  sentiment  of  the  gazing  multitude,  must  have  possessed  a 
source  of  knowledge  of  the  human  heart,  and  penetration  into  it's 
secret  recesses,  which  no  other  man  has  ever  yet  displayed.  For 
this  knowledge  does  not  appear  to  have  been  communicated  to 
him  by  any  thing  like  a  natural,  corporeal  sensation  ;  the  Avoman 
having  only  touched  the  liem  of  his  garmerd,  and  not  his  iierson : 
and  yet  the  Lord  knew  within  himself  not  only  that  fact,  but  like- 
wise all  that  was  passing  in  her  mind,  and  in  the  minds  of  all 
that  surrounded  him. 

When  Jesus  turned  himself  about  to  give  more  direct  access 
to  his  person,  to  her  whose  faith  had  as  it  weie  arrested  it's  Ob- 
ject ;  and  when  he  exclaimed  with  a  voice  of  love  and  mercy, 
"  Who  touched  my  clothes?-^  little  did  his  disciples  imagine  for 
what  purpose,  or  with  what  propriety,  such  a  question  was  put  to 
the  by-standers  ;  and  still  less  what  a  miraculous  effect  had  just 
been  produced  upon  one  of  their  company.  But  how  great  must 
have  been  their  astonishment,  when  tliey  saw  the  woman,  now 
healed  of  her  infirmity,  prostrate  herself  at  the  feet  of  Jesus,  ac- 
knowledging and  confessing  that  she  it  was,  who  had  ventured  to 
extend  towards  him  the  hand  of  faith,  because  she  was  inspired 
with  a  full  confidence,  that  could  she  but  reach  the  hem  or  border 
of  his  garment,  she  should  instantly  be  made  whole  !  If  hitherto 
they  had  entertained  any  doubt  of  his  divine  character  and  power, 
they  must  now  have  been  convinced,  by  the  testimony  of  their 
own  eyes  and  ears,  not  only  that  their  Lord  and  Master  possess- 
ed in  himself  the  source  of  every  blessing,  as  w^ell  as  the  ability 
and  inclination  to  impart  thereof  to  all  who  were  in  states  of  re- 
ception, but  also  that  there  was  a  sphere  of  virtue  continually 
emanating  from  him,  and  actually  surrounding  his  'person.,  which 
however  none  could  perceive,  or  in  any  wise  reap  the  benefit  of, 

E 


S4  A  SEAL  UPON   fHE  LIPiS  OV 

except  those  who  had  faith  in  liis  omnijioience,  and  who  therefoit 
approached  and  Avorshipped  hirff  as  a.  Divine  Man,  or,  in  other 
words,  as  the  Incarnate  God. 

Another  consideration  rising  out  of  tlie  passage  is,  that  the 
Lord  announces  himself  as  the  Father  ol"  his  people.  "  Daugli- 
"  ffr,"  says  he,  "  thy  faith  hath  made  thee  whole  :"  evidently 
implying,  not  only  that  faith  ouglit  to  be  directed  to  him,  as  to  an 
omnipotent  /Sat" ioz^r,  but  that  it  should  also  embrace  him  as  an  all- 
merciful  Parent.*  For  if  he  condescends  to  call  us  his  childreny 
surely  we  may  be  allowed  in  return  to  acknowledge  him  as  our 
Father.  And  when  he  is  thus  reverenced  as  the  sole  Parent  of 
the  human  race,  as  well  as  their  Benefactor  and  Saviour,  a  sense 
of  filial  duty,  no  less  than  the  necessity  of  the  case,  forbids  us  to 
entertain  the  most  distant  idea  of  am/  other  Saviour,  any  other 
Father,  or  amj  other  God. 

As  it  is  not  properly  within  the  design  of  tlie  present  work  to 
i\nfold  the  spiritual  or  internal  sense  of  the  various  passages  of 
Scripture  introduced  into  it,  but  only  to  bring  into  full  view  the 
grand  doctrine  of  the  sole  and  exclusive  divinity  of  our  blessed 
Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  and  that  in  a  plain,  intelligible 
manner,  by  obvious  deductions  and  conclusions  drawn  from  the 
mere  letter  of  the  Word ;  we  shall  here  only  observe,  in  refe- 
rence to  that  part  of  the  subject,  that  the  garments  of  the  Lord 
denote  the  divine  truths  of  his  AVord,  which  being  one  with  him- 
self, it  is  therefore  a  matter  of  indifference,  or  of  equal  import, 
whether  he  say  with  the  Evangelist  Mark,  "  Who  touched  my 
"  clothes?''''  or  with  Luke,  "  Who  touclied  ?He?"  For  as  the 
Lord  is  declared  to  be  the  Word,  and  indeed  the  Word  made 
flesh,  it  must  be  evident,  that  whosoever  touches,  embraces,  and 
acknowledges,  in  faith  and  in  affection,  the  divine  truths  contain- 
ed in  the  AVord,  must  also  at  the  same  time,  and  in  the  same  de- 
gree, touch,  embrace,  and  acknowledge  the  Lord  himself.  The 
hem  or  border  of  his  garment  denotes  the  literal,  exterior,  or  na- 
tural sense  of  tlie  Word  :  while  the  woman  represents  the  affec- 
tion or  love  of  truth,  whicli  constitutes  the  churcli  in  man ;  and 
her  touching  his  garment,  denotes  the  communication  and  re- 

•  See  Matthew  ix.  2- 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  35 

ception  of  divine  truth  both  in  the  understanding  and  in  the 
heart. 

In  every  point  of  view,  therefore,  whether  spiritually  or  natu- 
rally discerned,  the  whole  passage  testifies,  in  the  plainest  and 
most  unequivocal  terms,  as  well  to  the  divine  mercy  and  compas- 
sion of  Jesus,  as  to  his  infinite  wisdom,  intelligence,  and  power. 
And  moreover  it  teaches  us,  in  a  way  of  peculiar  interest,  that  he 
views  with  complacency  and  approbation  every  act  of  faith  di- 
rected to  him  as  God  in  a  Human  Form. 


[16.]  Matt.  ix.  27  to  30.  "  When  Jesus  departed  thence,  two 
"  blind  men  followed  him,  crying,  and  saying,  Thou  Son  of  Da- 
"  vid,  have  mercy  on  us.  And  when  he  was  come  into  the  house, 
"  the  blind  men  came  to  him ;  and  Jesus  saith  unto  them,  Be- 
"  lieve  ye  that  I  am  able  to  do  this  ?  They  say  unto  him.  Yea, 
"  Lord.  Then  touched  he  their  eyes,  saying,  ^ic cording  to  your 
^'^  faith,  be  it  unto  you.  And  their  eyes  were  opened.''^  See  also 
chap.  XX.  30  to  34.  Mark  viii.  22  to  26 ;  chap.  x.  46  to  52.  Luke 
xviii.  35  to  43.  John  ix.  1  to  41. 


From  this  passage  it  appears,  that  the  condition,  on  which  the 
blind  men  were  to  receive  theiji'  sight,  was,  that  they  should  be- 
lieve in  the  ability  o/ Jesus  to  perform  what  they  desired.  They 
were  neither  required  nor  expected  to  make  profession  of  any 
faith  in  an  invisible  God,  in  God  the  Father  for  example,  accord- 
ing to  the  common  idea,  as  Creator  of  the  universe,  whom  no 
man  hath  seen,  or  can  see ;  neither  were  they  called  upon  to 
make  prayer  and  supplication  to  any  such  unknown  and  unmani- 
fesied  Deity:  but  they  were  simply  directed  to  turn  their  thoughts 
and  affections  to  Jesus  alone  ;  and  if  to  the  question.  Whether 
they  believed  in  their  hearts,  that  he  was  of  himself,  as  he  then 
stood  before  them,  able  to  gratify  their  wishes,  they  could  truly 
answer  in  the  affirmative,  that  faith  was  immediately  honoured 
by  the  Lord,  and  his  divine  approbation  and  blessing  became  it's 
reward. 


S6  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

The  true  reason  of  this  was,  because  in  Jesus  alone  was  tliv: 
very  seat  and  centre  of  Divinity^  called  the  Father,  to  whom 
there  ■was,  and  still  is,  no  other  possible  way  of  access,  than  by  a 
direct  and  immediate  approach  to  the  Humanity,  called  the  Son, 
which  was  assumed  for  the  purpose  of  becoming  the  medium  of 
communication  between  the  creature  and  the  Creator.  It  is  on  this 
account  that  it  is  so  often  declared  in  the  New  Testament,  that 
salvation  is  alone  attainable  by  faith  in  the  Son :  for  the  iSon  or 
Humanity,  containing  within  him  the  Father  or  Divinity,  as  the 
body  contains  it's  soul,  is  a  visible  Object,  capable  of  being  era- 
braced  by  the  thought  and  affection  of  man,  and  consequently  of 
being  loved  and  worshipped  ;  whereas  the  Father  or  Divinitv,  out 
of,  or  separate  from  the  Humanity,  being  in  himself  invisible,  or 
inconceivable  by  any  effort  of  tlie  human  mind,  is  therefore  no 
Object  of  thought,  no  Object  of  love,  and  consequently  no  Object 
of  rational  worship. 

Reader,  be  not  startled  on  hearing  it  so  boldly  asserted,  that 
God  the  Father,  the  Creator  of  the  universe,  considered  distinct- 
ly and  separately  from  Jesus  Christ,  is  no  Object  of  rational  or 
Christian  worship  :  for  nothing  can  be  properly  called  an  Object 
of  any  kind,  much  less  an  Object  of  religious  worship,  unless  it 
be  capable  of  being  presented  before  the  mind  in  some  distinct 
form,  under  which  it  may  be  apprehended.  The  Divine  Esse, 
that  is  to  say,  the  inmost  principle  of  the  Divine  Essence,  ab- 
stracted from  it's  form,  is  infinitely  too  far  removed  from  the 
sight  of  any  finite  creature,  to  fall  within  the  limits  even  of  ima- 
gination itself:  and  if  so,  how  can  it  be  an  Object  either  of 
thought  or  of  affection  ?  Must  there  not  be  an  accommodation  or 
letting  down  to  the  capacity  of  the  worshipper,  by  virtue  of  which 
he  may  be  enabled  spiritually  or  mentally  to  view  his  God,  to 
hold  in  contemplation  his  divine  perfections,  and  thus  to  direct  his 
love  and  his  adoration  to  a  visible  Form,  to  a  personal  Deity, 
who  can  receive  it  with  complacency  and  approbation,  and  who 
can  also  bless  with  a  sense  of  his  more  immediate  presence? 
This  effect  is  produced,  on  the  part  of  the  great  Author  of  our 
being,  by  manifesting  himself  to  us  as  an  Incarnate  God,  or, 
which  is  the  same  thing,  as  a  Divine  J\Ian  ;  and,  on  the  part  of 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  37 

the  creature,,  by  acknowledging  and  worshipping  the  Saviour  Je- 
sus Christ  alone  as  that  Incarnate  God,  that  Divine  Man,  who 
is  equally  the  Creator  and  the  Preserver  of  all  worlds. 

AVith  these  sentiments,  which  are  the  essential  characteristics 
of  the  true  Christian  religion,  agree  the  many  declarations  of  our 
Lord  to  the  following  effect :  "  I  am  the  way,  and  the  truth,  and 
'*  the  life :  no  man  cometh  unto  the  Father,  but  by  ?ne,"  John  xiv. 
6.  "  He  that  believeth  on  the  Son,  hath  everlasting  life  ;  and  he 
'•  that  believeth  not  the  Son,  shall  not  see  life,"  John  iii.  36.  "  He 
"  that  honoureth  not  the  Son,  honoureth  not  the  Father,''^  John  v. 
23.  "  Ye  Avill  not  come  to  me,  that  ye  might  have  life,"  John  v, 
40.  "  Not  that  any  man  hath  seen  the  Father,  save  he  who  is  of 
"  God,  he  hath  seen  the  Father.  Verily  verily  I  say  unto  you. 
"  He  that  believeth  on  vie,  hath  everlasting  life,"  John  vi.  46,  47. 

Thus  we  see,  that,  as  the  mere  soul  of  a  man,  out  of,  and  sepa- 
rate from  it's  proper  form  or  body,  is  not  an  object  to  be  ap- 
proached or  conversed  with ;  so  neither  is  the  naked  Divinity, 
out  of,  and  separate  from  it's  proper  form  the  Humanity,  to  be 
considered  as  the  true  scriptural  object  of  our  worship.  But,  on 
the  other  hand,  we  are  assured,  that  as,  in  order  to  gain  access  to 
the  soul  of  a  man,  we  must  make  our  direct  approach  to  his  body, 
so  in  like  manner,  if  we  would  honour,  reverence,  and  worship 
the  one  living  and  true  God  of  heaven  and  earth,  we  must  of  ne- 
cessity direct  our  thoughts  and  affections  to  his  Divine  Humanity, 
because  thereby,  and  thereby  only,  can  we  hope  to  obtain  con- 
junction with  him,  a;id  by  conjunction  salvation  and  eternal  life. 


[17.]  Matt.  X.  1.  «  When  Jesus  had  called  unto  him  his 
"  twelve  disciples,  he  gave  them  power  against  unclean  spirits,  to 
"  cast  them  out,  and  to  heal  all  manner  of  sickness,  and  all  man- 
"  ner  of  disease."  See  also  Mark  iii.  14,  15  ;  chap.  v.  12,  13  j 
chap.  vi.  7,  13.  Luke  ix.  1,  2;  chap.  x.  17,  19. 


In  the  Old  Testament  we  read,  that  the  power  of  working  mi- 
racles was  given  to  Moses  and  others  by  Jehovah  himself ;  nor 


38  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

do  we  any  where  find,  that  a  mere  man  was  ever  invested  w  ith 
the  divine  prerogative  of  communicating  to  others,  and  those  of 
his  own  choice  or  selection,  that  power,  which  was  only  lent  or 
delegated  to  himself,  and  wliich  he  held  by  no  other  tenure,  than 
the  humble  and  perpetual  acknowledgment,  that  it  was  not  his 
own,  but  derived  from  another.  In  the  present  case,  Iwwever, 
we  have  an  example,  in  Jesus,  similar  to  that  of  Jehovah  :  he 
chooses  for  his  servants  whomsoever  he  pleases,  and  delegates  to 
them  a  supernatural  power,  a  pov/cr  to  overawe,  control,  and 
eject  from  the  bodies  of  men  unclean  spirits,  to  heal  all  manner 
of  sickness,  and  all  manner  of  disease ;  that  is  to  say,  as  before 
observed  under  articles  10,  and  13,  he  gives  them  dominion  over 
both  spirit  and  matter,  and  thus  exercises  an  authority,  which  in 
the  very  nature  of  things  can  belong  only  to  the  great  and  omnipo- 
tent God. 

Under  these  circumstances,  is  it  possible,  that  he,  who  claims 
to  be  the -E(/«mZ  or  Fe//o.'£' of  Jehovah,  Zech.  xiii.  7,  (which  is 
an  expression  that  can  only  be  understood  of  the  relation  subsist- 
ing between  the  Humanity  and  the  Divinity  of  one  and  the  same 
God  :)  we  say,  is  it  possible,  that  he,  who  could  thus  assume  to 
himself  the  character  of  Jehovah,  and  by  the  various  godlike 
acts  of  his  life  justify  such  high  assumption,  in  the  sight  both  of 
angels  and  men,  should  yet  after  all  be  no  other  than  a  creature 
of  yesterday,  a  mere  man,  an  absolute  worm,  just  creeping  into 
existence  from  his  original  state  of  non-entity  ?  Common  sense 
forbids  the  preposterous  idea  ;  sound  reason  dissipates  the  fallacy 
of  such  an  appearance,  whenever  presented  to  the  view ;  but 
above  all,  divine  revelation,  when  seen  in  it's  pure  and  genuine 
light,  extinguishes  for  ever  the  blasphemous  sentiment. 


[18.]  Mah.  X.  37  to  39.  "  He  that  loveth  father  or  mother 
<•  more  than  me,  is  not  worthy  of  me  :  and  he  that  loveth  son  or 
"  daughter  more  than  vie,  is  not  worthy  of  me.  And  he  that  tak- 
"  eth  not  his  cross,  and  foUoweth  after  me,  is  not  worthy  of  me. 
«■•  He  that  findeth  his  life,  shall  lose  it :  "and  he  that  loseth  his 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  39 

"  life  for  my  sake,  shall  find  it."  See  also  chap.  xvi.  24,  25 ; 
chap.  xix.  29.  Mark  x.  29,  SO.  Luke  ix.  23,  24 ;  chap.  xiv.  26, 
27 ;  chap,  xviii.  29,  30. 

-  ^ 

Would  any  prophet,  or  mere  messenger  sent  from  God  to  man, 
be  justified  in  the  use  of  such  language  as  this  ^  Nay,  would  any 
angel  of  heaven,  however  high  his  rank  in  tlie  scale  of  created 
intelligences,  have  the  presumption  to  speak  of  himself,  or  of  his 
own  mighty  importance,  in  such  a  strain  of  unqualified  commen- 
dation .►*  It  cannot  for  a  moment  be  supposed  ;  because  it  is  au 
undeniable  truth,  applicable  to  every  created  being,  that  "  who- 
"  soever  exalts  himself,  shall  be  abased  ;"  and  on  the  other  hand, 
that  *'he,  who  humbles  himself,  shall  be  exalted,''^  Luke  xiv.  11. 
No  angel,  knowing  his  dependent  situation,  and  receiving  from 
the  bountiful  hand  of  his  Creator  his  daily  existence,  together 
with  his  daily  bread,  could  find  it  in  his  heart  to  address  his 
neighbour  and  fellow-creature  in  terms  like  those  contained  in  the 
passage  quoted,  and  so  proclaim  hiriiself,  not  merely  as  their  ex- 
ample or  superior  in  every  thing  great  and  good,  but  even  as  the 
Object  of  their  love  and  supreme  venerution.  With  still  less  ap- 
pearance of  propriety  could  his  younger  brother,  man,  while  sur- 
rounded with  the  infirmities  incident  to  mortality,  take  up  the 
language  of  a  God,  and  say,  "  He  that  loveth  father  or  mother, 
'■'■  son  or  daughter,  more  than  me,  or  vvliosoever  foUoweth  not  after 
•'  me,  is  not  worthy  of  me."  For  surely  none  can  claim  the  su- 
preme devotion  of  the  heart,  but  he  who  implanted  within  it  the 
best  affections  of  our  nature,  and  who  continually  supplies  it 
with  all  the  felicities  of  love. 

It  follows,  therefore,  that  Jesus  the  wise,  the  holy,  and  the 
just,  who  thus  holds  himself  out  to  mankind  as  the  piattern  of 
perfection,  the  good  to  be  desired  above  every  other  blessing  in 
heaven  or  on  earth,  and  for  whose  sake  every  inferior  affection 
and  delight,  if  opposed  to  the  acknowledgment  and  worship  of 
him,  must  be  sacrificed  without  reluctance,  can  be  no  other  than 
the  adorable  God  of  the  universe,  come  down  among  men  to  teach 
them  his  will,  liis  Word,  and  tlie  only  true  way  to  everlasting 
life. 


40  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

[19.]  Matt.  xi.  27.  <^^  Ml  things  are  delivered  unto  me  uf  my 
"  Father. ^^  See  also  chap,  xxviii.  18.  Luke  x.  22.  John  iii.  35  j 
chap.  V.  21,  22,  26,  27  j  chap.  xvi.  15;  chap.  xvii.  2,  10. 


What  can  be  the  meaning  of  delivering  all  things  into  the 
hands  of  the  Son,  if  yet  the  Son  be,  as  supposed  by  some,  a  mere 
man,  or  even,  as  regarded  by  others,  the  first  among  created  an- 
gels ?  Can  a  mere  man  guide  the  chariot  of  the  sun,  or  regulate 
the  seasons  and  the  hours  ^  Can  any  finite  and  dependent  being, 
Atlas-like,  support  on  his  shoulders  the  great  burden  of  the  uni- 
verse ?  Is  it  within  the  limits  of  possibility,  that  omniscience  and 
omnipotence,  which  are  alone  competent  to  preserve  the  order 
and  the  harmony  of  nature,  can  be  delegated  to  any  individual, 
who  is  himself  within  that  order,  and  necessarily  subject  to  it^s 
laivs  ?  Or  can  a  mere  creature,  who  by  the  very  condition  of  his 
existence  is  limited  and  finited  in  every  faculty  of  liis  soul  and 
body  and  life,  receive  into  himself,  if  offered,  the  gift  of  divine 
wisdom  and  poicer,  which  in  themselves  are  infinite  and  eternal? 
The  position  is  absurd,  contradictory  in  it's  terms,  and  therefore 
must  be  rejected  as  an  utter  iinjjossibilitij. 

Or  again,  is  it  consistent  with  reason,  and  the  dictates  of  a 
sound  mind,  to  represent  the  One  God  as  existing  in  two  or  more 
distinct  2iersons,  one  of  whom,  namely  the  first  in  order,  called 
tlic  Father,  must  be  supposed  by  the  above-cited  words  of  the 
Evangelist  to  have  transferred  all  his  right  and  title  to  dominion 
over  the  works  of  his  own  hands,  to  a  second  person,  called  tJie 
Son  ?  As  if  Divinity,  with  it's  various  attributes  and  perfections, 
were  a  transferable  property,  capable  of  passing  and  re-passing 
from  one  supposed  person  of  the  Godhead  to  another,  and  for  no 
conceivable  purpose  of  benefit  to  man,  but  what  might  equally  as 
well  be  accomplished,  and  indeed  infinitely  better,  without  such 
transfer ! 

Above  all,  is  it  consistent  with  the  true  light  of  revelation  to 
imagine  a  divided  Deity,  whose  imputed  properties  are  not  only 
at  variance  with  each  other,  but  at  the  same  time  also  totally  in- 
compatible with  unity  of  form,  a.s  well  as  tinity  of  essence?  If  the 
great  Jehovah  hath  deigned  to  announce  himself,  in  his  Word. 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  41 

liiuler  different  appellations,  according  to  the  diiference  of  sub- 
ject considered,  of  circumstances  described,  or  of  persons  ad- 
dressed, tiiat  can  be  no  just  reason  why  either  his  divine  essence 
should  be  divided,  or  his  divine  form  multiplied;  since  in  both 
cases  the  divine  unity,  vvhich  is  the  fundamental  of  all  religion, 
must  unavoidably  p^rtsA.  "^ 

To  guard,  therefore,  against  such  a  fatal  sentiment,  as  a  plura- 
lily  of  divine  jjevsons,  which  is  most  evidently  tantamount  to  a 
plurality  of  Gods,  the  Divine  Wisdom  has  found  it  necessary  to 
dictate  to  his  prophets  the  following  plain  and  emphatical  lan- 
guage :  "  Thus  saith  Jehovah  the  King  of  Israel,  and  his  Re~ 
"  deemer  Jehovah  of  hosts,  I  am  the  First,  and  I  am  the  Last, 
"  and  besides  me  there  is  no  God,'"  Isa.  xliv.  G.  "  I  am  Jehovah, 
"  and  besides  me  there  is  no  Savionr,'\Jsa..  xliii,  11.  «  All  flesh 
"  shall  know,  that  I  Jehovah  am  tliy  Saviour  and  Redeemer,'"^ 
Isa.  xlix.  26.  '•  Their  Redeemer  is  strong,  Jehovah  of  hosts  is 
'•  his  name,"  Jer.  1.  34.  "  I  Jehovah  am  thy  God,  and  thou 
"  shalt  know  no  God  beside  me,  for  tliere  is  no  Saviour  beside 
"  ?He,"  IIos.  xiii.  4.  "  Jehovah  is  my  strength,  and  my  Re- 
*■•  deemer,^^  Ps.  xix.  14. 

in  these  passages,  and  others  too  numerous  to  be  introduced  in 
this  place,  Jehovah  assumes  to  himself  the  title  and  cliai'acterof 
Saviour  and  Redeemer,  to  the  utter  exclusion  of  every  other  be- 
ing in  heaven  or  on  earth.  lie  also  declares  himself  to  be  the 
First  and  the  Last,  or  the  ivhole  Deity,  by  whatever  name  distin- 
guished or  made  known  in  tlie  AVord,  and  in  the  church.  Indeed 
so  jealous  of  his  glory  does  he  appear  to  be,  that  (foreseeing,  and 
as  if  with  a  view  to  counteract  the  general  apostacy  of  the  Chris- 
tian church  in  relapsing  into  gentilism,  by  the  introduction  of  a 
plurality  of  Gods,)  he  repeatedly  cautions  them  against  the  dan- 
gerous error  of  multiplying  to  themselves  imaginary  objects  of 
worship,  which  are  no  better  than  graven  images,  destitute  of 
life,  and  incapable  of  supplying  their  wants.  '•  Is  there  a  God 
'•  besides  me  ?  Yea,  there  is  no  God,  I  know  not  any,"  Isa.  xliv, 
8.  "  Before  me  there  was  no  God  formed,  neither  siiall  there  be 
••  after  Hie,"  Isa.  xliii.  10.  "  I  am  Jehovah,  tliat  is  my  name, 
'•  and  ?»//  glory  ivill  T  not  i; ire  to  another,"  Isa.  xlii,  6.     We 


42  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

must  not  presume  therefore  to  deal  out,  in  two  or  more  several 
portions,  a  glory,  which  must  ever  remain  undivided :  neither  are 
we  at  liberty  to  suppose,  that  there  is  or  can  be  any  more  than 
One  Jehovah,  One  Creator,  One  Redeemer,  One  Saviour,  One 
God,  in  One  glorious  and  exclusively  Divine  Person. 

Yet  in  the  passage,  which  gave  occasion  to  these  reflections,  it 
is  asserted,  that  all  things  are  delivered  by  the  Father  into  the 
hands  of  the  Son,  that  is,  into  the  hands  of  Jesus,  who  therefore 
may  now  be  truly  said,  as  expressed  by  himself  in  another  place, 
to  have  all  power  in  heaven  and  in  earth,  Matt,  xxviii.  18.  If  so, 
then  he  must  fireside  over  the  whole  works  of  creation,  not  form  a 
part  of  them  ;  be  above  the  laws  of  nature,  not  subject  to  them ; 
and  in  the  actual  exercise  of  a  sovereignty,  which  no  finite  intelli- 
gence can  form  any  just  or  adequate  conception  of.  In  short,  be- 
ing in  possession  of  all  things  which  the  Father  himself  ever  en- 
joyed, namely,  all  his  divine  attributes,  all  his  divine  properties, 
and  all  his  divine  perfections;  (John  iii.  35;  chap.  xvi.  15.)  be- 
ing also  honoured  with  the  great  names  and  titles  of  Deity  ;  (Isa. 
ix.  6.  Matt.  iii.  3.  Isa.  xl.  3.  Apoc.  i.  8,  11.)  and  at  the  same 
time  being,  as  the  apostle  Paul  most  justly  observes,  in  the  form 
of  God,  he  thought  it  no  robbery,  no  impiety,  no  presumption,  no 
indignity  offered  to  the  Supreme  and  Most  High  Sovereign  of  the 
universe,  (which  must  have  been  the  case,  had  he  been  any  thing 
less  tlian  the  Supreme  Deity  himself,)  to  be  equal  with  God; 
(Philip,  ii.  6.  John  v.  21,  23,  26.)  that  is,  in  other  words,  to  be 
One  with  the  infinite,  eternal,  and  omnipotent  God  himself:  for 
in  no  other  sense  of  the  word  can  it  be  truly  said,  that  any  being 
in  the  form  of  a  Man  is  equal  to  the  Creator. 

But  liere  it  may  be  objected,  "  How  can  the  Son,  or  Jesus,  be 
'-  said  to  have  received  such  power  and  authority  from  the  Father, 
"  who  is  universally  admitted  to  be  the  Supreme  God  .''  And  liow 
••  is  it  to  be  understood,  that  the  Father  delivered  up  to  the  Son, 
"  or  to  Jesus,  all  things  that  himself  possessed,  and  yet  still  re- 
"  mained  the  All-mighty,  the  All-wise,  and  the  All -merciful  ?" 
We  have  already  seen,  that  divine  or  infinite  power  cannot  in 
the  nature  of  things  be  wholly  vested  in  any  finite  being,  thus 
neither  in  a  man  of  the  earth,  nor  "in  the  highest  archangel  ofhea- 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  43 

ven;  and  that  the  bare  supposition  of  such  a  paradox  is  an  out- 
rage against  reason,  as  well  as  against  revelation.  We  have  also 
demonstrated,  that  the  divine  unity  will  not  admit  of  any  division 
or  separation  into  distinct  persons  ;  and  consequently  that  the 
difficulty,  which  presses  upon  a  reader,  who  has  not  sufficiently 
considered  the  subject,  cannot  be  removed  by  any  such  hypothesis 
as  that  of  a  duality  or  a  trinity  of  divine  persons  in  the  Godhead. 
The  question  therefore  can  be  scripturally,  rationally,  and  satis- 
factorily resolved  in  no  other  possible  way,  than  by  considering 
the  Father  as  the  invisible  Divine  Essence,  and  the  Son  as  the 
visible  or  manifested  Divine  Form,  both  together  constituting 
only  one  and  the  same  God,  or  one  and  the  same  Divine  Person  r. 
comparatively  as  the  invisible  soul  and  the  visible  body  together 
constitute  only  one  and  the  same  man,  or  one  and  the  same  hu- 
man  person. 

Under  this  view  of  the  subject,  how  easy  is  it  to  conceive,  that, 
as  the  soul  of  a  man  transfers  or  delivers  up  to  the  body  all  it's 
powers  and  energies  of  life,  yet  without  sustaining  in  itself  any 
deprivation  or  diminution  of  those  powers;  so  the  Father,  or  the 
Divine  Essence,  in  like  manner  transfers  or  delivers  up  into  the 
hands  of  the  Son,  or  the  Divine  Form,  all  his  divine  attributes 
and  perfections,  yet  without  losing  his  character  of  being  still  the 
Supreme  God  and  Regent  of  the  universe.  Thus,  notwithstand- 
ing the  varied  modes  of  expression  in  different  parts  of  the  Holy 
Word,  which  are  so  well  adapted  to  convey  heavenly  and  divine 
instruction,  and  which  likewise  are  all  resolvable  into  the  simple 
idea  of  the  union  of  Divinity  with  Humanity  in  the  single  person 
of  our  blessed  Lord,  there  results,  as  an  \indeniable  conclusion 
from  the  whole,  this  first,  this  last,  this  greatest  of  all  revealed 
truths.  That  Jehovah  himself,  who  is  called  the  Father,  and 
Jesus  Christ,  who  is  called  the  Son,  are  identically  and  person- 
ally one  and  the  same  Divine  Being,  one  and  the  s^ne  everlast- 
ins  God  of  heaven  and  earth. 


44  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OK 

[20.]  Matt.  xi.  27.  "  No  man  knoweth  tlie  Son.  but  tlie  Fa- 
<•'•  tiwr:  neither  knoweth  any  man  tb.c  Father,-  sax e  the  Son,  and 
"  he  to  whomsoever  the  )S'i»;i  wiil  reveal  him.''  See  also  Luke  x. 
22.  John  viii.  19 ;  cliap.  xiv.  7. 

There  would  be  no  propriety  in  speaking  tlius  of  Jesus,  or  of 
the  Son,  were  he  merely  a  created  being,  or  a  mortal  man.  The 
Jews  said  of  him,  "  Is  not  this  Jesus,  the  son  of  Joseph,  whose 
"  father  and  mother  ice  know  ?  how  is  it  then  that  he  saith,  I 
"  came  down  from  heaven?'-  Jolin  vi.  42.  And  again,"  We  know 
^^  this  man,  whence  he  is:  but  when  Christ  cometh,  no  man 
"  knoiceth  whence  he  is,^''  John  vii.  27.  Such  was  the  opinion  of 
the  Jews,  who  were  his  enemies,  and  who  could  perceive  nothing 
of  his  divine  nature,  any  more  than  Socinian  Unitarians  of  the 
present  day,  who  are  also  his  enemies,  by  denying  his  divine 
origin  and  descent.  Both  judge  him  to  be  the  son  of  Joseph  ;  and 
lience  both  suppose,  ttiat  they  know  whence  he  is.  And  yet  Je- 
sus himself  denies,  that  such  persons  either  had  or  have  any  true 
knowledge  of  him.  "  Ye  neither  know  vie,  (says  he,)  nor  my  Fa- 
rther: if  ye  had  known  ?H?,  ye  would  have  known  ;iiy  Father 
"  also,''  John  viii.  19. 

Knowledge  of  Jesus  as  the  CJirist  or  .Messiah,  is  not  a  know- 
ledge of  his  natural  descent,  according  to  the  mere  humanity,  from. 
the  house  of  David  ;  but  a  knowledge  of  his  descent  from  heaven, 
as  the  IFord,  or  divine  truth  itself,  incarnate.  It  is  in  this  latter 
respect  that  neither  Jews  nor  Unitarians  have  the  slightest  idea  of 
his  real  character  :  and  if  the  question  were  aguin  put  to  them, 
as  it  was  once  put  to  their  predecessors,  "  How  can  he  be  the 
"  Son  of  David,  when  David  himself  calls  him  his  Lord  i'"'  (Matt. 
xxii.  45.)  they  would,  it  is  probable,  with  all  the  wisdom,  which 
they  have  had  an  opportunity  of  accumulating  since  their  time, 
be  still  unable  to  answer  a  word.  For  having  no  conce])tion  of 
any  otlier  humanity,  than  what  may  be  seen  by  the  natural  eye, 
they  conclude,  that  Jesus  himself,  because  he  appeared  among 
the  Jews  like  a  mere  man,  was  therefore  in  reality  nothing  more. 
Yet  it  is  plain  from  his  transfiguration  on  the  mountain,  (Matt, 
xvii.  2.)  that  he  was  possessed  of  an  interior  divine  form,  per- 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  45 

fectly  distinct  from  the  humble  form,  in  which  he  was  usually 
seen;  for  "his /ace  did  shine  as  the  sun,  and  even  his  raiment 
"  was  white  as  the  light.^^ 

It  could  not  therefore  have  been  in  respect  to  the  Lord's  in- 
firm  humanity,  but  most  evidently  in  reference  to  his  Divine 
Ilumanitij,  that  he  said,  "  No  man  knoweth  the  Son,  but  the  Fa- 
"  ther :  neither  knoweth  any  man  the  Father,  save  the  Son,  and 
"  he  to  whomsoever  the  Son  will  reveal  him."  For  indeed  it  is 
tantamount  to  this  :  As  no  man,  no  created  being,  can  possibly 
comprehend  the  infinity  of  the  Divine  Essence,  so  neither  can  he 
comprehend  the  infinity  of  the  Divine  Form  ;  the  true  nature 
and  quality  of  the  one  being  fully  known  only  to  the  other,  mu- 
tually, reciprocally,  and  conjunctly.  And  as  the  Divine  Essence, 
called  the  Father,  which  may  be  considered  as  the  Divine  Love, 
or  the  Divine  Good,  cannot  be  communicated  to  man,  or  in  the 
least  wise  perceived  by  him,  except  in  and  through  the  medium 
of  the  Divine  Form,  called  the  Son,  which  may  be  considered  as 
the  Divine  Wisdom,  or  the  Divine  Truths  and  further,  as  this 
effect  can  only  take  place  according  to  the  capacity  of  the  reci- 
pient subject,  who  is  in  the  actual  faith  and  acknowledgment  of 
the  Divinity  of  the  Lord's  Humanity,  therefore  it  is  said,  that 
"  no  man  knoweth  the  Father  but  the  Son,  ^nd  he  to  ivhom  the 
"  Son  will  reveal  himJ^ 


^[21,]  Matt.  XI.  28.     "  Coine  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labour,  and 
'•  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest.''^  See  also  John 

vi.  37. 


When  men  have  been  labouring  and  toiling  through  life,  weigh- 
ed down  with  calamity,  and  oppressed  by  the  heavy  hand  of  af- 
fliction ;  and  when,  in  addition  to  all  this,  they  are  assailed  by 
tlie  powers  of  darkness,  and  permitted  to  fall  into  manifold  and 
grievous  temptations,  so  that  even  their  spiritual  life  is  brought 
into  jeopardy ;  to,  whom  should  they  fly  for  refuge,  for  consola- 
tion, and  for  rest  ?  Sorry  comforters  must  thev  be,  who  on  such 


46  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

an  occasion  would  direct  them  to  a  mere  man,  or  even  to  an  angel 
of  the  higliest  order  in  heaven.  The  great  Jehovah  invites  them 
to  himself,  as  being  alone  capable  of  giving  the  wished-for  help, 
and  of  delivering  from  troubles,  dangers,  and  death.  "  Look  un- 
*'  to  me,  (says  he,)  and  be  ye  saved,  all  the  ends  of  the  earth :  for 
^^  I  am  God,  and  there  is  none  else,''^  Isa.  xlv.  22.  "When  thou 
"  passest  through  the  ivaiers,  I  vill  be  with  thee ;  and  througk 
"  the  rivers,  they  shall  not  overflow  tliee :  when  thou  walkest 
<^  through  the  fire,  thou  shalt  not  be  burnt;  neither  shall  the 
^•fiame  kindle  upon  thee.  For  I  am  Jehovah  thy  God,  the  Holy 
'•  One  of  Israel,  thy  Saviour,^''  Isa.  xliii.  2.  And  again,  *'  My 
"  presence  shall  go  with  thee,  and  I  will  give  thee  rest,^* 
Exod.  xxxiii.  14.  "  When  the  poor  and  needy  seek  water,  and 
'•there  is  none,  and  thfir  tongue  faileth  for  thirst,  I  Jehovah 
"  will  hear  them,  I  the  God  of  Israel  rvill  not  forsake  them,''^  Isa. 
xli.  ir.  "  God  is  our  refuge  and  strength,  a  very  present  help  in 
^'' trouble,^''  Ps.  xlvi.  1. 

Such,  in  the  Old  Testament,  is  the  language  of  a  Creator,  v.ho 
Is  at  once  the  Parent,  the  Benefactor,  and  the  Saviour  of  his  help- 
less creatures  ;  alone  competent  to  redress  their  grievances,  and 
to  supply  their  wants,  because  alone  the  centre  and  the  source  of 
every  divine  blessing.  No  less  expressive,  and  equally  impor- 
tant, is  the  language  of  Jesus  in  the  Gospel,  who,  changing 
the  terms,  yet  retaining  the  ideas  of  the  prophets,  announces  him- 
self to  his  people  as  their  only  refuge  in  affliction,  their  only  hope 
in  distress.  "  Come  tinto  me,  all  ye  that  labour,  and  are  heavy 
"  laden,  and  I  will  give  yon  rest.-''  Can  the  ^-jva/ Jehovah  /h"j«- 
selfs2Lj  more,  or  do  more,  for  his  offspring,  than  is  here  promised 

to  be  done  by  the  equally  great  Jesus  ? "  The  equally  great 

"  Jesus  !  ?  !" — Yes,  the  equally  great  Jesus  :  we  do  not  retract 
the  words,  but  proceed  to  prove  and  confirm  tliem. 

First  of  all,  It  is  abundantly  declared  in  the  Sacred  Scrip- 
tures, and  immediately  assented  to  by  every  sound  mind,  that 
there  is  only  One  God  of  heaven  and  earth,  distinguished  by  a 
variety  of  names,  all  announcing  his  divine  Supremacy ;  among 
which  are  Jehovah,  Father,  Lord,  Almighty,  &c.  &c.  Se- 
condlyy  To  Jesus  Christ  are  applied  almost  all  the  names  of 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c. 


47 


Jehovah  expressly,  but  without  exception  all  his  characters,  at' 
tributes,  and  inrfections ;  which  is  a  circumstance  that  never 
could  or  would  have  found  a  place  in  writings  dictated  solely  by 
Jehovah  himself,  unless  it  was  intended  to  be  understood,  that 
Jesus  and  Jehovah  were  one  and  the  same  Divine  Being.  Who 
that  examines  the  following  passages  with  any  degree  of  attention, 
can  refuse  to  acknowledge,  that  the  great  personage,  called  Je- 
hovah in  the  Old  Te'stament,  is  no  other  that  Jesus  in  the  New  ? 
Let  us  compare  the  Prophets  with  the  P^vangelists :  truth  will  be 
the  result. 


Prophets. 
Tsa.  xl.  3.  "  The  voice  of 
"  him  that  crieth  in  the  wil- 
"  derness.  Prepare  ye  the  way 
"  of  Jehovah,  make  straight  in 
"  the  desert  a  highway  for  our 
«  GocV 


Mai.  iv.  5.  "  Behold,  I  send 
"  you  Elijah  the proj]het,\)Q{oYe 
"  the  coming  of  the  great  and 
"  dreadful  day  of  Jehovah.'" 


Micah  V.  2.  "  But  thou, 
"  Bethlehem  Ephratah,  though 
"  thou  be  little  among  the  thou- 
"  sands  of  Judah,  yet  out  of  thee 
"  shall  he  come  forth  unto  me, 
"  that  is  to  be  Ruler  in  Israel  ; 


Evangelists. 

Matt.  iii.  S.  «  This  is  he 
"  [Jolin  the  Baptist]  that  was 
"  spoken  of  by  the  prophet 
"  Esaias,  saying,  The  voice  of 
"  one  crying  in  the  wilderness, 
"  Prepare  ye  the  way  of  the 
"  Lord,  make  his  paths 
"'straight." 

Matt.  xi.  10,  14.  "  This  is 
"  he  of  whom  it  is  written,  Be- 
"  hold,  I  send  my  messenger 
"  before  thy  face,  which  shall 
"  prepare  thy  way  l)efore  thee. 
"  And  if  ye  will  receive  it,  this 
^^'is  Elias  which  was  for  to 
"  come." 

See  also  Mark  i.  2,  3r  Luke 
i.  70. 

Luke  ii.  11.  "Unto  you  is 
"  born  this  day,  in  the  city  of 
"  David,  [_Bethlehevi,']  a  Sa- 
^^viour,  which  is  Chrfst  thr 
"Lord."' 


4a 


A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 


Prothets. 
«  whose  goings  foi-th  have  been 
*'  0/  old,  from  everlasting.^^ 

Isa.  xlv.  15,  21,  22.  ^'  Verily 
*'  thou  art  a  God  that  hidest 
"  thyself,  O  God  of  Israel  the 
"  Saviaur.  There  is  no  God 
"  else  beside  me,  a  just  God 
"  and  a  Saviour,  there  is  none 
"  beside  me.  Look  unto  me, 
<'  and  be  ye  saved,  all  the  ends 
"of the  earth:  for  I  am  God, 
"  and  there  is  none  else."' 


Isa.  ix.  6.  *'  Unto  us  a 
"  Child  is  born,  unto  us  a  Son 
*'  is  given,  and  the  government 
"  shall  be  upon  his  shoulder  : 
"  and  his  name  shall  be  called 
'•  AVonderful,    Counsellor,  the 


Evangelists. 


Matt.  i.  20,  21.  "  The  an- 
"  gel  of  tlie  Lord  appeared  un« 
"  to  Joseph  in  a  dream,  saying, 
"Joseph,  thou  son  of  David, 
"  fear  not  to  take  unto  thee 
"  Mary  thy  wife  :  for  that  which 
"  is  conceived  in  her  is  of  the 
"  Holy  Spirit.  And  she  shall 
"  bring  forth  a  Son,  and  thou 
"  shalt  call  his  name  Jesus  :  for 
"  he  shall  save  his  people  from 
"  their  sins.^^ 

Matt.  ii.  4  to  6.  "When 
"  Herod  had  gathered  all  the 
"  chief  priests  and  scribes  of 
"  the  people  together,  he  de- 
"  manded  of  them  «7iere  Christ 
"  should  be  born.  And  they 
"  said  unto  him,  In  Bethlehem 
"  of  Judea :  for  thus  it  is  w^rit- 
*'  ten  by  the  prophet ;  And  thou 
^^  Bethlehem  in  the  land  of  Ju- 
"  dah  art  not  the  least  among 
*'  the  princes  of  Judah  ;  for  out 
"  of  thee  shall  come  a  Gover- 
"  nor,  that  shall  rule  my  peo- 
^*  pie  IsraeU^ 

John  X.  30.  "  /  and  my  Fa- 
"  ther  are  one.'''' 

John  xiv.  8,  9.  "  Philip  saith 
"  unto  him.  Lord,  shew  us  the 
"  Father, and  it  sufficeth  us.  Je- 
"  sus  'saith  unto  him,"  Have  / 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c. 


49 


Prophets^ 
*'  Mighty  God,  the  ei^rlasting 
"  Father,  the  Prince  of  peace." 


Isa.  xliv.  6.  "Thus  saith 
'•Jehovah  the  King  of  Israel, 
"and  his  Redeemer  Jehovah 
^^of  hosts,  /  am  the  first,  and 
"  /  am  the  last ;  and  besides  me 
"  there  is  no  God." 

See  also  Isa.  xli.  4.  xlviii.  12. 


Evangelists. 
"  been  so  long  time  with  you, 
"  and  yet  hast  thou  not  knovi'n 
"  mp,  Philip  ?  he  that  hath  seen 
"  me,  hath  seen  the  Father.'^'' 

Apoc.  i.  8,  17.  "I  am  AU 
"  pha  and  Omega,  the  beginning 
"  and  the  ending,  saith  the 
"  Lord,  which  is,  and  which 
"  was,  and  which  is  to  come, 
"the  Almighty.  And  when  1 
"  saw  him,  [the  Son  of  Man,]  I 
"  fell  at  his  feet  as  dead  ;  and 
"  he  laid  his  right  hand  upon 
"  me,  saying  unto  me,  Fear  not : 
"  I  am  the  first  and  the  last.^^ 

See  also  xxi.  6.  xxii.  13. 


We  will  not  multiply  citations,  because  proof  and  confirma- 
tion of  the  equality  of  Jesus  with  Jehovah  was  all  that  was  ask- 
ed, and  behold  !  (what  is  more)  the  identity  of  both  as  one  and 
the  same  God  is  demonstrated  by  the  Scriptures  of  truth. 

After  this  digression,  which  yet  is  not  to  be  considered  as  a 
digression,  so  far  as  it  tends  to  establish  the  main  design  of  this 
volume,  namely,  the  sole,  supreme,  and  exclusive  Divinity  of  our 
blessed  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  we  now  take  up  the 
thread  of  our  former  ai'gument,  and  proceed  as  if  there  had  been 
no  interruption  to  the  subject. 

In  addressing  his  disciples,  and  through  them  the  whole  human 
race,  Jesus  does  not  direct  them  to  an  invisible,  inaccessible 
Deity,  pervading  the  universe  like  an  ethereal,  unsubstantial  jJ^i'in- 
ciple  ;  but  invites  them  to  himself  as  a  Divine  Man,  in  whoih 
are  substantiated  and  centered  all  the  attributes  and  perfections 
of  an  infinitely  wise  and  merciful  God.  Thus  the  same  bless- 
ings, which  no  one  could  suppose  to  be  in  the  gift  of  any  but  the 
Supreme  Ruler  of  heaven  and  earth,  flow  equally  from  the  hand 
of  Jesus,  and  from  the  hand  of  Jehovah. 

G 


50  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

What !  then,  can  a  Man,  or  any  Being  in  the  form  of  a  Man, 
bring  deliverance  from  enemies,  security  from  danger,  and  salva- 
tion from  destruction,  to  those  who  call  upon  his  name,  and  ap- 
proach liis  person  ?  Can  a  Man  be  our  refuge  in  the  storm  of 
life,  our  hope  in  years  to  come,  and  our  everlasting  rest  ?  "  Yes  !" 
exclaims  the  prophet  Isaiali,  with  a  voice  loud  enough  to  be  heard 
from  one  end  of  heaven  to  the  other,  "  A  Man  shall  be  as  an 
"  hiding-place  from  the  wind,  and  a  covert  from  the  tempest : 
"  [a  Man  shall  be]  as  rivers  of  water  in  a  dry  place,  as  the  sha- 
"  doAv  of  a  great  rock  in  a  weary  land,"  Isa.  xxxii.  2.  But  it  is 
the  Divine  Man  Jesus  Chuist,  who  is  thus  described,  and  who 
therefore  can  be  no  less  than  the  Supreme  and  Omnipotent  God 
in  a  human  form. 

The  conclusion,  then,  which  most  evidently  results  from  all 
these  considerations,  is,  that  both  Jesus  and  Jehovah  are  per- 
sonally and  identically  one ;  with  this  only  difference,  that  Je- 
hovah of  the  Old  Testament  is  the  yet  invisible,  unmanifested 
God,  while  Jesus  of  the  New  Testament  is  the  same  God  now 
incarnate  or  manifest  in  the  flesh,  and  appearing  in  the  form  of  a 
Man. 


[22.]  Matt.  xii.  6.     '*•  I  say  unto  you,  that  in  this  place  is  one 
greater  than  the  templet 


It  is  well  known,  that  the  temple,  as  being  dedicated  to  the 
worship  of  Jehovah,  the  supreme  God  of  heaven  and  earth,  was 
accounted  most  holy :  and  that  no  profanation  or  contempt, 
either  of  the  building  itself,  or  of  the  things  which  it  contained, 
was  on  any  account  tolerated,  but  severely  prohibited.  So  holy 
indeed  was  it,  especially  the  ark  and  tlie  testimony  Avithin  it, 
that  the  high  priest  himself  was  permitted  only  once  in  a  year  to 
enter  it's  interior  recess,  called  the  holy  of  holies,  and  even  then 
not  until  he  was  prepared  by  purifications  and  oblations,  accord- 
ing to  an  order  jircscribed  for  the  purpose.  Nothing  therefore 
!:x)uld  be  conceived  of  as  greater  and  more  iioly  that  the  temple, 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  51 

except  Him,  to  whom  it  was  erected,  and  whose  name  was  plac- 
ed therein.  He  was  greater  than  the  temple,  because  from  him 
all  it's  sanctity  was  derived.  And  yet  the  same  honour,  whicii 
was  due  to  Jehovah,  was  claimed  by  Jesus  :  for  of  himself  he 
says,  that  "  in  this  place  is  one  greater  than  the  temple.^^  This  is 
not  tlie  language  of  a  mere  man,  as  some  would  make  him,  nor  of 
one  deputed  by  the  high  God  to  teach  mankiiid  lessons  of  meek- 
ness and  humilifi/.  But  is  evidently  the  language  of  one,  who  is 
conscious  in  himself,  that  the  temple  and  all  it's  appendages  had 
reference  to  his  oivyi  person  (John  ii.  19  to  21. ;)  that  the  rever- 
ence which  was  paid  to  it,  as  well  as  the  worship  which  ascend- 
ed to  heaven  from  within  it's  walls,  had  him  alone  for  it's  ulti- 
mate Object ;  and  that  the  character  and  name  of  all  that  is 
called  God  among  angels  or  men,  exclusively  belonged  to  him- 
self. 

In  agreement  with  these  sentiments,  it  is  also  written  of  the 
holy  city  New  Jerusalem,  when  seen  to  descend  from  God  out 
of  heaven,  "  I  saw  no  temple  therein  :  for  the  Lord  God  Mmigh- 
"  ty  and  the  Lamb  are  the  temple  of  it.  And  the  city  had  no 
"  need  of  the  sun,  neither  of  the  moon  to  shine  in  it :  for  the 
a  glory  of  God  did  lighten  it,  and  the  Lamb  is  the  light  thereof," 
Apoc.  xxi.  22,23.  Here  the  temple,  as  representative  of  the  great 
Object  of  worship,  disappears  by  reason  of  the  superior  bright- 
ness and  effulgence  of  him,  who  in  the  supreme  sense  is  the  tem- 
ple itself,  ifs  glory,  and  it's  light.  Tlie  Lord  God  Almighty  and 
the  Lamb,  that  is,  Jehovah  and  Jesus,  or  the  Divinity  and  the 
Humanity,  are  botli  said  to  constitute  this  living  temple  j  the 
reason  of  which  is,  because  both  together  constitute  one  and  the 
same  undivided  God ;  in  like  manner  (comparatively  speaking) 
as  the  soul  and  body  together  constitute  one  and  the  same  indi- 
vidual man. 

It  is  in  this  way  alone,  that  such  passages  as  the  above  can  be 
at  all  understood,  in  consistency  with  those  numerous  other  de- 
clarations of  Holy  Scripture,  which  so  strenuously  insist  upon  the 
Divine  Unity,  and  the  exclusion  of  every  other  name  in  heaven 
or  on  earth,  from  the  smallest  participation  in  the  honours  due  to 
God  alone. 


52  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

[23.J  Matt,  xii.  8.     "  Tlie  Son  of  Man  is  Lord  even  of  the 
"  sabbath-day.^^     See  also  Mark  ii.  28.   Luke  vi.  5. 


The  sabbath -day  was  instituted  (speaking  according  to  the  let 
ter  of  the  Word)  in  perpetual  commemoration,  jf?7*sf,  of  the  con- 
clusion of  the  great  work  of  creation,  or  of  the  rest  which  Jeho- 
vah entered  into  when  he  had  ceased  from  his  divine  laboursj 
Exod.  XX.  8  to  11;  chap.  xxxi.  13  to  17;  and  secondly,  in  com- 
memoration of  the  deliverance  or  escape  of  the  children  of  Israel 
out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  Deut.  v.  14,  15.  In  either  case  it  was 
sacred  to  Jehovah,  and  peculiarly  set  apat't  for  the  solemn  wor- 
ship of  him  alone.  Most  emphatically  therefore  is  it  urged  in  all 
the  books  of  Moses,  and  by  the  prophets  who  succeeded  him,  th»t 
Jehovah  himself  is  Lord  of  the  sabbath-day,  because  by  him  it 
was  created,  and  to  him  and  his  hqnour  it  was  exclusively  de- 
voted. 

But  behold  !  a  new  claimant  starts  into  view,  and  challenges 
for  himself  the  heretofore  undisputed  title  and  dignity  of  Sove- 
reign Lord  in  the  church;  if  indeed  the>term  new  can  with  any 
propriety  be  predicated  of  him,  who,  though  in  respect  to  his  flesh 
•<'  not  fifty  years  old,"  yet  says  of  himself,  "  Before  Abraham 
"  was,  I  am,''^  John  viii.  58;  and  who  consequently  must  be,  like 
ih^Jincient  of  days,  the  sa.me  yesterday,  to-day,  a.nd  for  ever,  that 
is,  from  eternity  to  eternity  the  same  infinite  and  unchangeable 
God.  This  new  claimant  [new  only  to  his  church  in  the  charac- 
ter of  a  Divine  Man,  but  "  whose  goings  forth"  in  the  spirit 
"  have  been  from  of  old,  even/rom  the  days  of  eternity,''^  Micah 
V.  2.)  is  at  once  perceived  to  be  no  other  than  our  blessed  Lord 
and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  on  all  hands  admitted  to  be 
the  great  personage  intended  by  the  Son  of  Man.  It  is  he  that 
lifts  up  his  voice  in  the  midst  of  angels  and  men,  and  knowing  no 
superior,  no  equal,  either  in  heaven  above,  or  on  the  earth  below, 
presents  himself  to  them  as  the  great  Object  referred  to  in  all  the 
rituals  and  ceremonials  of  representative  worship  among  the 
Israelitish  people  ;  an<l  thus  collecting  as  it  were  all  the  sancti- 
ties of  the  divine  law  into  one  point,  proclaims  himself  Lord 
even  of  the  sabbath-day. 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  53 

Many  proofs  of  the  divine  nature,  character,  and  person  of  Je- 
sus, are  to  be  found  in  this  volume ;  and  many  more  in  the  Sa- 
cred Scriptures  of  truth.  But  which  of  them  is  more  evident,  or 
more  satisfactory  to  an  unprejudiced,  enlightened  mind,  than  that 
which  is  here  offered,  when  compared  with  the  various  circum- 
stances attending  the  institution  of  the  sabbath  ?  To  be  Lord 
of  the  sabbath,  is  to  be  no  less  tlian  the  God  of  the  universe :  it  is 
to  be  the  Creator  of  heaven  and  earth,  the  Redeemer  and  the  De- 
liverer of  his  people  from  all  their  miseries  and  afflictions :  it  is 
to  be  their  Saviour,  their  Guide,  their  Refuge,  their  Rest  and 
Peace,  their  Heaven,  theiv  Portion,  and  their  eyevlnsting  Felicity. 

All  this  is  to  be  found,  if  sought  for,  in  Jesus  alone.  But 
there  must  be  no  participator  with  him  in  divine  majesty,  ho- 
nour, and  glory,  no  not  so  much  as  in  a  transient  thought  or  idea. 
No  suspicion,  much  less  admission,  of  any  other  Deity  must  for  a 
moment  be  entertained :  but  all  worship,  all  acknowledgment,  all 
affection,  and  all  thought,  must  for  ever  be  directed  to,  and  cen- 
tre in,  his  Divine  Body,  that  glorious  Form  of  light  and  love, 
which  alone  contains,  exclusively  contains,  all  tliat  is  called,  or 
deserves,  the  name  of  God.  The  man,  who  thus  worships,  and 
thus  lives,  is  already  elevated  to  the  angelic  heaven ;  and  tliough 
he  may  not  see  and  hear,  in  a  sensible  way,  what  passes  among 
the  blessed  spirits  in  that  celestial  region,  yet  he  himself  is 
known  to  them  as  a  terrestrial  visitant,  and  jointly  with  them  he 
celebrates  and  glorifies  their  common  Lord. 


[24.]  Matt.  xii.  25.  «  And  Jesus  knew  their  thoughts.^^  See 
also  Mark  ii.  8.  Luke  vi.  8  ;  chap.  ix.  47;  chap.  xi.  17.  John 
ii.  24,  25;  chap.  xiii.  11;  chap.  xvi.  19,  50;  chap,  xviii.  4; 
chap.  xxi.  17. 

Already,  under  article  IS,  we  have  had  occasion  to  remark  on 
the  circumstance  of  Jesus  knowing  the  thoughts  of  men.  It  is 
again  repeated  here,  and  in  other  parts  of  the  Gospel ;  and  it  is 
truly  a  most  distinguishing  feature  in  his  divine  character.  Until 
a  Socinian  Unitarian  can  verify  his  own  claim  to  so  high  a  prero- 


54  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

gative,  it  must  be  with  an  ill  grace  indeed  that  he  sets  himself  up 
as  the  equal  of  Jesus,  or  what  amounts  to  the  same  thing,  that  he 
degrades  the  Saviour  to  a.  level  with  himself.  To  press  an  argu- 
ment beyond  it's  free  and  fair  range,  is  not  our  wish :  but  we 
leave  it  to  the  candour  and  good  sense  of  the  reader  to  determine 
for  himself,  whether  so  extraordinary  a  faculty  as  that  of  know- 
ing the  thoughts  of  others^  which  was  repeatedly  exemplified  by 
Jesus,  and  never  acknowledged  by  him  to  have  been  derived 
from  any  Divine  Being  different  from,  and  superior  to,  himself, 
can  possibly  be  ranked  among  the  attributes  of  vtere  humanity. 
If  convinced  that  it  cannot,  then  he  will  without  hesitation  ac- 
knowledge, that  he  must  have  been  more  than  a  man. 

But  the  Evangelist  John  will  not  allow  us  to  stop  here,  but 
raises  our  idea  of  the  intellectual  power  of  Jesus  to  the  highest 
conceivable  pitch.  He  makes  him,  in  short,  omniscient  ;  in  plain 
terms  declaring,  that  "  he  knew  all  men,  and  needed  not  that  any 
"  should  testify  of  man  ;  for  he  knew  what  ivas  in  man,^^  John  ii. 
24,  25.  Peter  also,  the  great  spokesman  of  the  disciples  in  all 
matters  relative  to  faith,  thus  addresses  liis  Divine  Master : 
"  Lord,  thou  knowest  all  things,''''  John  xxi.  17.  The  very  cha- 
racter of  Jehovah  himself,  as  given  by  the  prophet :  "  Thus 
'' saith  Jehovah,  J/L'Koie?  the  things  that  come  into  your  mind, 
"  every  one  of  them,'"  Ezek.  xi.  5.  Yet  this  character  belongs 
also  to  Jesus  :  and  therefore,  while  we  lift  up  our  eyes  in  admi- 
ration of  the  one,  we  are  constrained  equally  to  venerate  and  ac- 
knowledge the  high  attribute  of  the  other.  But  in  so  doing,  and 
in  so  describing  the  perfection  of  Jehovah,  and  the  perfection  of 
Jesus,  let  it  not  be  supposed,  that  our  distinction  involves  any 
difference  as  to  person  ;  for  it  extends  only  to  the  names  and  ?.r- 
pressions,  which  (as  is  well  known)  may  be  various,  while  tlie 
great  Being,  whom  they  alike  designate,  is  still  one  and  the  same. 
riiis  is  the  case  in  the  present  instance,  where  the  peculiar  prero- 
gative of  knowing  the  tlioughts  of  man  is  ascribed  by  the  Prophet 
to  Jehovah,  and  by  the  Evangelist  to  Jesus. 

To  such  wisdom,  such  perception,  notliing  can  be  added  :  we 
-an  only  wonder  and  adore:  or  else  with  the  Psalmist  exclaim, 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  55 

«  Great  is  our  Lord,  and  of  great  power :  his  understandin:^  is 
infinite,''^  Ps.  cxlvii.  5. 


[25.]  Matt.  xii.  31,  32.  "  I  smj  unto  you,  All  niannei-  of  siii 
"  and  blasphemy  shall  be  forgiven  unto  men  :  but  the  blasphemy 
"  against  the  Spirit  shall  not  be  forgiven  unto  men.  And  whoso- 
"  ever  speaketh  a  word  against  the  Son  of  Man,  it  shall  be  for- 
"  given  him  :  but  whosoever  speaketh  against  the  Holy  Spirit,  it 
"  shall  not  be  forgiven  him,  neither  in  this  world,  nor  in  the  world 
'•  to  corned''     See  also  Mark  iii.  28,  29.     Luke  xii.  10. 


Who  is  it  that  here  announces  what  crime  shall,  and  what 

shall  not,  be  forgiven  unto  the  children  of  men,  either  in  this 

world,  or  in  that  which  is  to  come  }     Or  who  is  it  that  presumes 

to  distinguish  between  the  effects  of  blasphemy  against  the  Son  of 

Man,  and  blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Spirit ;  declaring,  that 

this  latter  is  a  sin  unto  eternal  death,  while  the  former,  together 

with  every  other  conceivable  transgression,   (not  excepting  even 

those  committed  against  the  Creator  and  Father  of  the  universe.) 

may  meet  with  the  merciful  consideration  of  an  offended  God  ? 

On  a  subject  like  this,  is  it  to  be  believed,  than  any  mere  mortal 

man  either  would  or  could  undertake  to  deliver  himself  in  terms 

to  the  following  effect  .^     "  /,  eve7i  I,  of  my  own  personal  autho- 

"  rity,  underived  from  any  other  source  of  divine  information, 

"  than  that  which  springs  within  myself,  announce  and  proclaim, 

"  that  sins  and  blasphemies  of  every  kind  shall  be  freely  forgiven 

"  unto  men,  except  only  the  blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Spirit, 

"  which  shall  never  be  forgiven,  neither  in  this  world,  nor  in  the 

"  world  to  come."     Is  it,  we  say,  to  gain  credit  for  a  moment, 

that  such  could  possibly  be  the  language  of  any  mere  man,  of  any 

mere  angel,  or,  in  short,  of  any  being  in  heaven  or  on  earth,  but 

the  Supreme  and  Omniscient  God  himself?     For  who  else  can 

penetrate  the  inmost  recesses  of  the  human  heart,  and  from  a 

view  of  it's  latent  tendencies,  even  before  and  while  they  rise 

into  action,  discern  the  states  and  qualities  of  the  life,  the  vari- 


56  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

ous  shades  and  degrees  of  guilt,  what  is  venial  in  the  offences  of 
mankind,  and  what  in  the  nature  of  things  can  never  be  removed 
or  amended  by  any  application  of  the  divine  mercy  or  the  divine 
power  ? 

Jesus,  therefore,  in  authoritatively  assuming  to  himself  the 
high  character  of  Judge  and  Discriminator  of  all  actions,  of  all 
intentions,  and  of  all  hearts,  most  plainly  announces  his  supreme 
Divinity,  and  thereby  teaches  us  to  look  up  to  him  alone  as  to  our 
Father  and  our  God. 

But,  in  addition  to  the  conclusion  so  justly  inferred  from  the 
terms,  the  manner,  and  the  spirit  of  our  Lord's  words  above  re- 
cited, an  explanation  of  the  true  meaning  of  the  passage  may 
prove  acceptable  to  tlie  reader.  For  indeed  it  must  appear  a 
most  extraordinary  circumstance,  altogether  unaccountable  on 
the  principles  which  generally  prevail  in  what  is  called  the  Chris- 
tian church,  that  an  offence  committed  against  one  of  the  suppos- 
ed persons  in  the  Divine  Trinity  should  be  visited  with  such  re- 
lentless severity,  while  every  other  crime  of  enormity  is  placed 
within  the  reach  of  pardon.  And  the  difficulty  is  still  more  in- 
creased, when  it  is  considered,  that  of  the  three  divine  persons, 
which  constitute  the  Godhead,  according  to  the  generally  receiv- 
ed faith,  no  one  is  greater  or  less  than  another,  no  one  is  before 
or  after  another ;  but  they  are  all  in  divinity  one,  in  glory  equal, 
in  majesty  co-eternal.  Or,  if  any  precedence  be  imagined  be- 
tween the  one  and  the  other,  it  is  very  remarkable,  that  the  per- 
son of  the  Holy  Ghost,  who  is  always  the  last  in  order  of  nomina- 
tion, should  yet  be  guarded  by  a  law  of  sacred  inviolability,  in 
preference  to  either  the  Father  or  the  Son. 

Some,  we  know,  in  order  to  account  for  this  seeming  inequality 
in  the  dispensations  of  the  divine  mercy  and  favour,  have  con- 
jectured that  the  death  of  Christ  was  not  appointed  for  the  ex- 
piation of  the  sin  or  blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Ghost;  and 
therefore,  there  being  no  sacrifice  for  it,  that  there  can  be  no  sa- 
tisfaction, and  consequently  no  pardon.  But  this  mode  of  rea- 
soning, so  far  from  removing  one  difficulty,  which  presses  on  the 
mind  of  the  candid  inquirer,  presents  to  his  view  a  new  assem- 
blage of  other  difficulties  and  absurdities,  which  he  perhaps  had 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  57 

not  before  thought  of;  and  still  leaves  the  question  on  the  ine- 
quality of  the  divine  favours  undecided.  For  on  a  supposition 
that  the  sins  of  mankind  were  removed  by  the  sacrifice  and  atone* 
ment,  which  our  Saviour  made  on  the  croiss,  it  may  be  asked, 
Why  did  not  that  sacrifice  and  atonement  include  every  possible 
case  ?  Or  with  much  greater  propriety  may  the  previous  question 
be  put,  Why  should  a  God  of  infinite  love  and  mercy  require  any 
sacrifice  or  atonement  at  all  ?  more  especially  as  he  himself  saith 
by  one  of  his  prophets,  "  I  desired  mercy,  and  not  sacrifice,^'' 
Hos.  vi.  6 :  and  by  another,  "  I,  even  I,  am  he  that  blotteth  out 
*•  thy  transgressions  for  mine  oivn  sake,^^  Isa.  xliii.  25 ;  conse- 
quently not  by  reason  of  any  sacrifice  or  atonement,  to  appease 
the  cry  of  vindictive  justice,  but  out  of  pure  mercy  and  compas- 
sion to  the  human  race. 

Begone,  therefore,  such  vain  and  fruitless  surmises  relative  to 
the  divine  proceedings,  which,  though  founded  in  perfect  justice, 
are  all  conducted  with  the  purest  mercy.  To  those  who  are  al- 
ready in  the  perception  and  acknowledgment  of  this  truth,  no 
elucidation  can  be  necessary ;  but  to  others  the  following  obser- 
vations may  be  serviceable,  being  chiefly  drawn  from  the  theolo- 
gical writings  of  tlie  late  Hon.  Emanuel  Swedenborg. 

In  the  Word  mention  is  frequently  made  of  the  Son  of  Man, 
and  the  Son  of  God  ;  each  expression  being  applied  to  the  Lord, 
but  in  a  different  sense,  according  to  the  nature  of  the  subject 
treated  of-  Whenever  reference  is  had  to  his  birth,  his  divinity, 
his  unity  with  the  Father,  his  divine  power,  faith  in  him,  or  life 
proceeding  from  him,  and  in  general  to  his  Divine  Humanity, 
then  the  Lord  is  for  the  most  part  called  the  Son  of  God  ;  as  in 
John  v.  25 ;  chap.  vi.  69 ;  chap.  ix.  ^5 ;  chap.  x.  36 ;  and  else- 
where. But  when  the  subject  treated  of  is  the  passion  of  the 
cross,  the  last  judgment,  his  second  advent,  and  in  general  re- 
demption, salvation,  reformation,  or  regeneration,  then  the  Lord 
calls  himself  the  Son  of  Man  ;  as  in  Matt.  xxvi.  64.  Luke  xviii. 
31.  John  v.  27;  chap.  vi.  53  ;  chap.  xii.  23,  34.  Not  to  mention 
many  other  passages,  in  all  of  which,  by  the  expression  Son  of 
Man  is  meant  the  Lord  as  to  the  Word.  But  as  the  Jews  were 
conversant  with  the  literal  sense  of  the  Word  only,  and  knew 

H 


58  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

nothing  of  it's  interior  or  spiritual  contents,  their  rejection  of  th** 
Lord  as  the  Son  of  Man  implies  their  rejection  and  perversion  of 
that  part  of  the  Word,  with  which  they  were  acquainted,  rather 
than  of  that  which  had  never  been  manifestly  revealed  to  them. 
And  hence  it  is  safe  to  conclude,  that  by  the  Son  of  Man  is  here 
particularly  meant  the  natural  or  literal  sense  of  the  Word,  such 
as  we  have  on  earth ;  which  sense,  for  the  greater  part,  consists 
of  the  appearances  of  truth,  and  is  capable  of  being  turned  or  in- 
terpreted every  way. 

By  the  Holy  Spirit  is  meant  the  Lord  as  to  the  divine  truth 
proceeding  from  him,  or  as  to  the  Word,  such  as  it  is  in  it's  spi- 
ritual or  internal  sense,  consequently  such  as  it  is  in  heaven ;  for 
this  sense  is  perceived  by  angels,  and  gives  sanctity  to  the  literal 
sense,  which  is  perceived  by  men.  But  the  Holy  Spirit  not  only 
signifies  the  divine  truth  as  received  by  angels  in  heaven,  but 
also  in  it's  degree  as  received  by  the  regenerate  in  this  life ;  for 
with  all  such  the  genuine  truths  of  the  Word  are  inscribed  in 
their  hearts  and  lives,  and  are  considered  by  them  as  holy  and  in- 
violable. 

Having  thus  seen  what  is  properly  signified  by  the  Son  of  Matt, 
and  what  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  we  may  now  distinctly  perceive 
what  is  meant  by  speaking  a  word  against  the  Son  of  Man, 
namely,  that  it  is  to  interpret  the  literal  sense  of  the  Scriptures 
according  to  the  mere  appearances  of  truth,  with  which  they 
abound.  Now,  should  a  person,  who  has  never  been  instructed 
concerning  the  distinction  between  the  literal  and  the  spiritual 
sense  of  the  Word,  interpret  any  passage  in  a  sense  not  in  agree- 
ment witii  this  latter,  yet  without  confirming  himself  therein,  to 
the  destruction  of  divine  truth  in  it's  genuine  sense,  he  will  in- 
deed be  guilty  of  speaking  a  word  against  the  Son  of  Man  ;  but 
as  it  is  not  done  from  an  evil  heart,  but  only  from  ignorance,  i» 
which  is  a  degree  of  innocence,  therefore  it  is  such  kind  of  sin  or 
blasphemy  as  may  be  forgiven  :  it  is,  as  the  Apostle  John  says, 
"  a  sin  not  unto  death,''''  1  Epist.  v.  17. 

Such  then  appears  to  be  the  true  nature  of  that  offence,  which 
our  Lord  calls  speech  or  discourse  against  the  Son  of  Man  ;  an 
offence,  to  which,  as  weak  and  ignorant  creatures,  we  are  all 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  59 

most  prone,  and  which  therefore  is  perpetually  passed  over  in 
mercy  to  the  best  and  the  wisest  of  mankind.  But  widely  and 
awfully  different  is  the  sin  or  blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Spirit^ 
which  shall  not,  which  in  it's  own  nature  cannot^  be  forgiven, 
neither  in  this  age,  nor  in  that  which  is  to  come.  We  shall  there- 
fore endeavour  briefly  to  shew,  that  this  sin  consists  in  the  fol- 
lowing particulars,  viz.  1.  In  a  denial  of  the  divinity  of  Jesus 
Christ.  2.  In  a  denial  of  the  Word,  or  Sacred  Scriptures. 
3.  In  the  adulteration  of  it's  genuine  goods,  and  in  the  falsifica- 
tion of  it's  genuine  truths.  4.  In  a  denial  of  divine  truth,  after 
it  is  once  inscribed  or  implanted  in  the  life,  which  also  is  no  less 
than  profanation. 

1.  In  respect  to  the  first  of  these,  namely,  o  denial  of  the  divi- 
nity of  Jesus  Christ;  that  this  is  blasphemy  against  the  Holy 
Spirit,  appears  from  the  circumstance,  which  gave  occasion  to 
the  Lord  to  speak  in  the  manner  he  did.  He  had  been  casting 
out  a  devil  in  the  presence  of  the  people  ;  and  when  the  Phari- 
sees heard  it,  they  charged  him  with  having  an  unclean  spirit, 
and  said,  "  This  fellow  doth  not  cast  out  devils,  but  by  Beelze- 
"  bub  the  prince  of  the  devils."  Now  as  all  the  Lord's  miracles, 
performed  on  the  bodies  of  men,  represented  his  divine  power  in 
healing  their  spirits,  that  is,  in  regenerating  them,  so  this  miracle 
of  casting  out  a  devil  represented  that  change  of  mind  which  a 
man  undergoes,  who  suffers  the  Lord  to  subdue  or  cast  out  his 
evil  affections,  his  wicked  propensities,  consisting  in  the  inordi- 
nate love  of  self  and  of  the  world,  and  in  their  stead  to  implant 
the  heavenly  affections  of  love  to  the  Lord,  and  charity  towards 
his  neighbour.  And  as  this  change  can  only  be  effected  by  a  di- 
vine agency,  proceeding  from  the  Lord  himself,  it  is  evident,  that 
he  who  denies  the  Lord  to  be  possessed  of  this  divine  power,  can 
never  become  the  subject  of  it's  operation,  and  consequently  can 
never  be  saved.  For  salvation  is  conjunction  with  the  Lord,  and 
with  heaven ;  and  he  who  denies  the  Lord,  must,  in  the  very  na- 
ture of  things,  be  separated  from  him,  and  of  consequence  from 
heaven.  To  say  therefore  that  what  proceeds  from  the  Lord  is 
not  holy  in  itself,  is  to  deny  the  Divinity  of  his  Humanity ;  and 
to  assert  that  he  is  a  viere  man,  or  a  mere  angel,  is  the  same  thing 


60  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

as  to  assert  that /je  hath  an  unclean  spirit,  Mark  iii.  30;  for  in  his 
sight,  who  alone  is  holy,  Apoc.  xv.  4,  both  angels  and  men  arc 
filthy  SiXid  unclean,  Job  xv.  15,  16.  Ps.  xiv.  3.  Isa.  Ixiv.  6.  Nay, 
to  ascribe  to  Jesus  any  thing  short  of  personal  and  proper  divi- 
nity, and  to  be  confirmed  therein  both  in  doctrine  and  in  life,  is 
coming  within  the  description  of  those,  who  exclude  themselves 
from  heaven,  and  who  are  therefore  said  to  be  guilty  of  a  sin  unto 
death,  1  John  v.  16;  or,  in  other  words,  of  blasphemy  against  the 
Holy  Spirit,  which  cannot  be  forgiven,  neither  in  this  age,  nor  in 
that  which  is  to  come. 

These  sentiments  are  confirmed  by  the  following  passages  in 
the  Word.  "  He  tliat  believeth  on  the  Son,  hath  everlasting  life : 
*'  and  he  that  believeth  not  the  Son,  shall  not  see  life,  but  the  wrath 
"  of  God  abideth  on  him,'"  John  iii.  36.  Jesus  said,  "  If  ye  be- 
"  lieve  not  that  lam,  ye  shall  die  in  your  siiis,"  John  viii.  24.  "  He 
"  that  denieth  me  before  men,  shall  he  denied  before  the  angels  of 
"  God,"  Luke  xii.  9.  To  believe  on  the  Son,  is  not  merely  to 
believe  in  the  existence  of  Jesus  as  a  vum,  for  this  did  the  scribes 
and  Pharisees  his  enemies,  but  to  acknowledge  the  Divinity  of 
his  Humanity  ;  and  this  is  tlie  faith,  which,  in  conjunction  with 
charity,  has  the  promise  of  everlasting  life.  AYhence  it  follows, 
that  to  disbelieve  the  Son,  or  to  have  no  living  faith  in  him,  is  the 
same  tiling  as  to  deny  the  divinity  of  the  Lord  ;  and  of  such  as 
are  guilty  hereof  it  is  said,  that  they  shall  not  see  life,  that  the 
wrath  of  God  abideth  on  them,  that  they  shall  die  in  their  sins, 
and  shall  be  denied  before  the  angels  of  God. 

In  addition  to  the  evidence  arising  from  Scripture,  we  may 
also  gather  from  tlie  true  nature  and  fitness  of  things,  that  no 
person,  who  denies  the  divinity  of  the  Lord,  while  he  con- 
tinues in  such  denial,  can  be  admitted  into  heaven.  If  it  be  al- 
lowed,  that  heaven  derives  all  it's  essence  from  the  Lord's  Hu- 
manity, which  must  be  the  case  if  the  inhabitants  are  members 
of  his  body,  then  it  will  follow,  that  no  person  can  have  a  place 
therein,  but  he  who  acknowledges  the  Lord  as  his  head ;  com- 
paratively as  no  member  of  the  human  body  can  continue  to  be 
such,  without  receiving  life  from  the  head,  and  thus  as  it  were 
^icknowledging  the  source  from  which  it  derives  it's  support. 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  61 

No  subject  can  gain  admission  to  the  court  of  an  earthly  prince, 
while  he  refuses  to  acknowledge  his  right  and  title  to  the  crown  j 
such  a  person,  bj  the  very  nature  and  fitness  of  things,  being 
self-excluded.  It  is  just  the  same  with  respect  to  admission  into 
heaven,  which  is  the  court  of  the  King  of  kings.  All  who  enter 
the  gates  of  that  palace,  must  bear  true  allegiance  to  their  lawful 
Sovereign  Jesus  Chkist;  they  must  be  loyal  subjects;  they  must 
love  him  with  their  hearts  ;  they  must  confess  him  with  their 
tongues  ;  and  none  else  can  taste  angelic  happiness,  or  even 
breathe  celestial  air.* 

2.  The  reason  why  a  denial  of  the  Word,  or  Sacred  Scriptures, 
is  also  included  in  the  sin  against  the  Holif  Spirit,  is,  because 
they  who  deny  the  Word,  deny  also  it's  interior  contents,  which 
are  holy  and  divine ;  they  deny  the  Lord,  they  deny  the  exis- 
tence of  a  heaven  and  a  hell,  and  they  deny  the  church,  together 
with  all  things  appertaining  to  it.  Such  persons,  inasmuch  as 
they  have,  by  their  denial  of  all  revealed  religion,  destroyed  the 
bond  of  connection  between  themselves  and  heaven,  cannot  but 
be  separated  from  it.  This  state  of  mind,  therefore,  being  op- 
posed and  averse  to  all  that  is  holy  and  divine,  it  may  with  too 
much  truth  be  said  of  them  who  are  the  subjects  of  it,  tliat  they 
are  guilty  of  the  sin  or  blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Spirit. 

3.  Again,  to  adulterate  the  essential  or  genuine  goods  of  the 
Word,  and  to  falsify  ifs  essential  or  genuine  truths,  is  also  a  sin 
fir  blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Spirit.  We  will  take  an  exam- 
ple. Mention  is  made  in  the  Evangelists  of  the  blood  of  the 
J^ew  Testament,  which  is  shed  for  many  ;  and  in  the  Revelation 
it  is  said,  that  Michael  and  his  angels  fought  against  the  dragon 
and  his  angels,  and  overcame  them  by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb. 
Whoever  now,  from  these  and  similar  expressions  in  the  Sacred 
Scriptures,  takes  up  the  idea,  that  God  the  Father  was  reconciled 
to  the  human  race  by  beholding  the  sufferings  and  death  of  his 
Son,  and  that  man  is  justified  and  saved  by  mere  faith  or  be- 
lief therein,  without  any  regard  to  repentance  or  works  of  chari- 

*  These  last  observatioHS  are  extracted  from  the  Author's  Defence  of  th^ 
JYew  Jerusalem,  in  L<:tters  to  Dr.  Priestley,  p.  391. 


62  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

ty,  sucli  a  person,  if  he  confirms  himself  in  this  error  not  only 
in  doctrine,  but  also  in  life,  becomes  guilty  of  the  sin  or  blasphe- 
my against  the  Holy  Spirit ;  because  in  such  case  he  blasphemes 
the  Divine  Being,  by  ascribing  to  him  mere  human  properties,  he 
falsifies  the  Word,  perverts  it's  genuine  sense,  and  thus  destroys 
the  divine  truth  contained  in  it,  which  teaches,  that  God  is  love 
itself, mercy  itself,  goodness  itself,  and  that  he  needeth  no  sacrifice, 
no  atonement,  no  shedding  of  blood,  to  excite  his  compassion.  For 
indeed  it  cannot  be  said  even  of  a  good  man,  that  any  sacrifice  or 
atonement  is  necessary  to  reconcile  him  to  his  oifending  brother  ; 
the  principle  of  charity  within  him  ever  prompting  him  to  love 
and  forgive.  If  this  tlven  be  true  of  a  good  man,  whose  love  is 
finite  and  derived  from  the  Lord,  how  much  more  must  it  be  so 
with  the  Lord  himself,  whose  love  is  infinite,  "  whose  sun  riseth 
"  on  the  evil  and  on  the  good,"  and  "  whose  tender  mercies  are 
"  over  all  his  works  !" 

4.  We  will  now  shew,  that  the  sin  or  blasphemy  against  the 
Holy  Spirit  consists  also  in  a  denial  of  divine  truth,  after  it  is 
once  iyiscribed  or  implanted  in  the  life,  7vhich  is  no  less  than  pro- 
fanation. This  state  is  described  by  the  Lord  in  the  following 
words :  "  When  the  unclean  spirit  is  gone  out  of  a  man,  he 
"  walketh  through  dry  places,  seeking  rest ;  and  finding  none, 
''  he  saith,  I  will  return  unto  my  house,  whence  I  came  out.  And 
"  when  he  cometh,  he  findeth  it  swept  and  garnished.  Then 
"goeth  he,  and  taketh  with  him  seven  other  spirits  more  wicked 
>' than  himself ,  and  they  enter  in,  and  dwell  there.  And  the 
"■  last  state  of  that  man  is  icorse  than  the  first,'^  Luke  xi.  24  to 
26.  By  the  unclean  spirit  going  out  of  a  man,  is  meant  his  ac- 
knowledgment of  truth,  and  a  life  in  agreement  therewith  at  first. 
By  the  house  swept  and  garnished,  is  meant  the  rejection  of  truth, 
and  his  life  afterwards  in  opposition  to  it.  By  the  return  of  the 
unclean  spirit,  with  seven  others  more  wicked  than  himself,  is 
meant  a  state  of  profanation  :  wherefore  the  last  state  of  that 
man  is  declared  to  be  worse  than  the  first. 

Having  thus  considered  what  we  are  to  understand  by  the  sin 
or  blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  seen  that  it  consists 
in  a  denial  of  the  Lord  and  his  Word,  and  in  the  perversion  and 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  €5 

profanation  of  it's  divine  truths,  more  especially  after  they  have 
been  once  received  and  acknowledged,  (an  offence  far  exceeding 
in  turpitude  those  venial  imperfections  of  our  nature,  which  are 
implied  in  speaking  a  word  against  the  Son  of  Man, J  we  shall 
only  add  another  observation  or  two  in  conclusion.  The  unhap- 
py lot,  which  persons  guilty  of  the  crime  above-mentioned  have 
reason  to  expect  as  awaiting  them  in  another  life,  is  not  to  be 
viewed  as  a  mere  arbitrarious  act  of  vengeance  proceeding  from 
an  offended  Deity,  by  way  of  retaliation  for  having  denied  him 
in  his  life,  for  no  such  vindictive  temper  can  find  a  place  in  the 
Divine  Mind  ;  neither  is  it  to  be  supposed,  that  there  is  any  v/ant 
of  mercy  and  compassion,  on  the  Lord's  part,  towards  such  of 
his  creatures  as  may  hereafter  be  involved  in  the  penalties  atten- 
dant on  blaspheming  his  Word.  But  it  is  rather  to  be  considered 
as  the  necessary,  as  the  inseparable  consequence  of  that  state  of 
mind,  which  the  person  has  chosen  for  himself  by  actual  life,  in 
which  he  has  found  his  delight,  and  from  which  therefore  he  can 
never  be  withdrawn  after  death. 

It  is  true,  so  far  as  is  possible,  consistently  v/ith  the  freedom  of 
man,  the  Lord  is,  by  his  divine  providence,  in  the  continual  en- 
deavour to  prevent  the  sin  of  blasphemy  and  profanation ;  and 
where  this  cannot  be  effected  without  permitting  men  to  remain 
in  ignorance  of  divine  things,  as  was  the  case  with  the  Jews, 
there  it  is  said  of  the  Lord,  that  "  he  hath  blinded  their  e3'es,and 
"  hardened  their  heart,  that  they  should  not  see  with  their  eyes, 
"  nor  understand  with  their  heart,  and  be  converted,  and  I  should 
"  heal  them,"  John  xii.  40.  To  be  converted  and  healed  here, 
means  to  believe  and  acknowledge  divine  truths ;  and  as  the  Lord 
foresaw,  that  they  would  not  continue  therein  till  the  end  of  life, 
but  would  recede  from  them,  and  thus  be  guilty  of  profanation, 
he  therefore  in  mercy  permitted  their  eyes  to  be  blinded,  and 
their  hearts  hardened,  that  they  should  not  see  with  their  eyes, 
nor  understand  with  their  hearts.  Hence,  and  from  the  whole 
tenour  of  the  divine  dispensations  of  God  to  man,^  we  have  every 
reason  to  be  thankful,  not  only  far  positive,  but  also  for  negative 
mercies,  and  to  conclude  concerning  all  such  as  are  finally  lost, 
that,  as  the  Prophet  says,  ^^  their  blood  is  upon  their  oicn  heads,''' 


64  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

Ezek.  xxxiii.  4  :  for,  "  As  I  live,  saith  the  Lord  God,  /  have  no 
ii  pleasure  in  the  death  of  him  that  dieth  ;  but  would  rather  that 
"  the  wicked  turn  from  his  way,  and  live,^^  Ezek.  xviii.  32 ;  chap, 
xxxiii.  11. 


[26.]  Matt.  xii.  41,  42.  "  The  men  of  Nineveh  shall  rise  in 
"judgment  with  this  generation,  and  shall  condemn  it;  because 
"  they  repented  at  the  preaching  of  Jonas  ;  and  behold,  a  greater 
"  than  Jonas  is  here.  The  queen  of  the  south  shall  rise  up  in 
"  the  judgment  with  this  generation,  and  shall  condemn  it :  for 
"  she  came  from  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  to  hear  the  vvis- 
"  dom  of  Solomon  ;  and  behold,  a  greater  than  Suloinonis  here.^* 
See  also  Luke  xi.  SI,  32. 


After  reading  a  passage  like  this,  will  any  one  be  so  inconsi- 
derate as  to  contend,  that  Jesus  was  no  greater  than  any  other 
man  ?  As  a  prophet  and  messenger  of  Jehovah,  deputed  to  com- 
municate his  will  and  pleasure  to  mankind,  Jonas  was  equal  to 
any  of  his  predecessors,  not  excepting  even  Moses  himself:  for 
in  his  sight,  who  alone  is  self-essent  and  self-existent,  angels, 
men,  and  worms,  are  alike — nothing.  Yet,  as  a  wide  exception 
from  the  character  and  rank  of  a  mere  creature,  messenger,  or 
prophet,  Jesus,  who  best  knew  his  own  infinite  superiority,  and 
needed  no  testimony  from  man  to  prove  or  confirm  it,  distinguish- 
es himself  above  all  such  as  derive  their  commission  from  another, 
or  act  in  subordination  to  any  higher  authority  than  their  own. 
The  men  of  Nineveli  repented  at  the  preaching  of  Jonah,  who 
was  merely  an  instrument  in  the  hand  of  Jehovah  to  warn  them 
of  a  threatened  calamity  :  but  the  men  of  Judea  refused  to  listen 
to  the  voice  of  him,  who  was  greater  than  Jonah,  of  him  who  in 
fact  was  Jonah's  God,  as  well  as  the  God  of  Moses  and  the  rest 
of  the  prophets. 

It  is  again  further  asserted,  that  Jesus  was  greater  than  Solo- 
mon, who  was  yet  the  wisest  of  men,  the  wealthiest,  and  the  most 
splendid  monarch  of  the  east.     But  how  can  such  language  be 


ITNITAIIIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  e^ 

justifietl,  if  Jesus  is  to  be  considered  in  no  higher  capacity,  than 
that  of  a  uiere  man?  Even  John  the  Baptist,  who,  it  appears,  had 
never  performed  a  miracle,  was  declared  to  be  equal,  if  not  su- 
perior, in  dignity  to  all  vvlio  had  preceded  him,  whether  pro- 
phets, priests,  or  kings  ;  and  for  no  other  reason,  than  because  he 
was  the  immediate  precursor  of  Jesus.  Yet  this  same  John, 
well  knowing  the  relation  in  which  he  stood  to  Jesus,  and  the  na- 
ture of  the  commission  which  he  bore,  most  emphatically  pro- 
claims to  those  around  him,  "  There  standeth  one  among  you, 
«'  whom  ye  know  not :  He  it  is,  who,  coming  after  me,  is  prefer- 
"  red  before  me,  whose  slioe^s  latchet  I  am  not  worthy  to  unloose,^^ 
John  i.  26,  27.  If  then  tlie  character,  oihce,  and  person,  of  John 
the  Baptist  will  stand  in  competition  with  those  of  Solomon,  or 
David,  or  Moses,  or  Elias,  and  lose  nothing  in  the  comparison ; 
while,  on  the  other  hand,  the  bare  imagination  of  any  thing  re- 
sembling equality  between  him  and  his  great  Lord,  is  treated 
with  that  solemn  aversion,  which  betokens  the  deepest  humilia- 
tion on  the  part  of  John  ;  in  the  name  of  Wonder  and  holy  Ad- 
miration, what  sort  of  a  Being  must  Jesus  himself  be,  at  whose 
sacred  feet  even  the  greatest,  the  wisest,  and  the  best  of  mankind 
are  totally  unworthy  to  prostrate  themselves  !  ! 

Revelation,  which  publishes,  can  alone  explain,  this  great  mys- 
tery. And  that  distinctly  teaches,  "  that  it  was  God  himself  who 
*'  was  in  the  world  ;  and  that,  although  the  world  was  made  by 
"  him,  yet  the  world  knew  him  not,"  John  i.  10  ;  as  unhappily  is 
the  case  even  to  the  present  day.  And  again,  "  The  Lord  God 
*'  of  Israel  hath  visited  and  redeemed  his  people,"  Luke  i.  68. 
"  Behold,  a  virgin  shall  conceive,  and  shall  bring  forth  a  Son,  and 
"  his  name  shall  be  called  Immanuel,  that  is,  God  with  us," 
Isa.  vii.  14.  Matt.  i.  22,  23.  "  Unto  us  a  Child  is  born,  unto  us 
"  a  Son  is  given,  and  the  government  shall  be  upon  his  shoulder; 
"  and  his  name  shall  be  called  Wonderful,  Counsellor,  the 
"  mighty  God,  the  everlasting-  Father,  the  Prince  of  peace," 
Isa.  ix.  6. 

W^ell  then  might  the  Baptist  give  such  extraordinary  testimo- 
ny of  Jesus,  when  by  an  ancient  prophecy,  which  he  had  been 
appointed  to  fulfil,  he  was  expressly  enjoined  to  announce  him- 

I 


66  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

self  as  "  the  voice  of  one  crying  in  the  wilderness,  Prepare  re 
"  the  way  of  Jehovah,  make  straight  in  the  desert  a  highway  for 
"  our  Go(/,"  Isa.  xl.  5.  Luke  iii.  4.  Mai.  iv.  5.  Thus  the  whole 
mystery  is  at  once  resolved  by  the  light  of  divine  truth  alone ; 
Jehovah  himself  is  seen  to  descend  from  heaven,  in  order  to 
visit,  to  redeem,  and  to  save  his  people  ;  and  though  conversant 
among  them  in  the  form  of  a  Child,  a  Son,  a  Man,  he  is  never- 
theless declared  to  be  infinitely  superior  to  the  whole  race  of 
mankind,  being  no  less,  with  respect  to  his  divine  nature  and 
person,  than  the  mighty  God,  the  everlasting  Father  of  angels 
and  men. 


[27.]  Matt.  xiii.  41.  "  The  Son  of  Man  shall  send  forth  his 
"  angels,  and  they  shall  gather  out  of  his  kingdom  all  things  that 
"  oftend,  and  them  which  do  iniquity."  See  also  chap.  xxiv.  31. 
Mark  xiii.  26,  9.7. 


Pray,  who  keeps  angels  of  light,  ministers  to  do  his  good  plea- 
sure, save  he  who  created,  and  by  his  power  sustains  all  finite 
being  ?  Or  "  who  in  the  heavens  can  be  compared  unto  Jehovah  ? 
"  who  among  the  sons  of  the  mighty  can  be  likened  unto  Jeho- 
"vAH.^"  Ps.  Ixxxix.  6.  //e  indeed  "hath  prepared  his  throne 
"in  the  heavens,  and  his  kingdom  ruleth  over  all,"  Ps.  ciii.  19. 
He  "  maketh  his  angels  spirits,  his  ministers  a  flaming  fire,"  Ps. 
civ.  4.  But  who  is  the  Son  of  Man,  that  in  like  manner  send- 
etli  forth  his  angels,  to  remove  out  of  his  kingdom  every  thing 
that  is  opposed  to  his  will,  and  thus  to  accomplish  the  great  ends 
of  his  divine  wiidom  }  Can  he  be  any  other  than  that  same  Je- 
hovah, of  whom  the  Psalmist  and  all  the  Prophets  make  such 
glorious  mention  }  that  same  Ancient  of  days,  whom  the  prophet 
Daniel  in  particular  describes  as  a  Man  clothed  with  garments, 
and  sitting  upon  a  throne  ?  of  whom  it  is  written,  that  "  a  fiery 
*' stre<am  issued,  and  came  forth  from  before  him  ;  that  thousand 
"  thousands  ministered  unto  him,  and  ten  thousand  times  tea 
"  thousand  stood  before  him  ?"  Dan.  vii.  9, 10.     Are  not  the  same 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  67 

dominion,  and  glory,  and  kingdom,  equally  and  most  expressly 
ascribed  to  the  Ancient  of  days,  tliat  is,  to  the  Most  High  God, 
and  to  the  Son  of  Man?  ver.  14,  27.  Thus,  though  they  are 
distinguished  in  name,  just  as  we  would  distinguish  between  es- 
sence and  form,  soul  and  body,  Divinity  and  Humanity,  still  in 
idea  and  in  act  they  are  and  must  be  for  ever  united,  yea  identi- 
fied as  one  and  the  same  ever-living,  eternal,  and  undivided  God, 
the  Parent  and  Protector  of  angels  and  m.en. 

But  further  evidence  of  this  great  truth  still  presses  to  be 
heard  :  and  we  cannot  refuse  the  welcome  testimony.  "  The 
*'  Lord  God  of  the  holy  prophets  sent  his  angel  to  shew  unto 
*' his  servants  the  things  which  must  shortly  be  done,"  Apoc. 
xxii.  6.  "  I  Jesus  have  sent  mine  angel  to  testify  unto  you  these 
"things  in  the  churches,"  ver.  16.  Here  it  is  expressly  given  in 
evidence,  first,  that  the  Lord  God  of  the  holy  prophets  sent  his 
angel  to  shew  unto  his  servants  the  things  which  were  to  take 
place  ;  and,  secondly,  that  Jesus  sent  his  angel  to  testify  to  the 
churches  the  same  events.  Can  ingenuity  itself,  by  any  arts  of 
sophistry,  any  abuse  of  the  powers  of  reasoning,  evade  the  force 
of  such  united  testimony,  or  for  a  moment  render  doubtful  the 
verdict  that  shall  be  given  ? 

The  last  witness,  however,  has  something  more  to  offer  on  the 

same  subject.     Let  us  hear  him  again  with  attention. "  My 

'■'  name  (says  he)  is  John :  I  have  already  been  persecuted  and 
♦'  banished  from  my  country  on  account  of  the  Word  of  God,  and 
"  the  testimony  which  I  formerly  gave  of  Jesus  Christ.  But 
"  being  again  permitted  to  declare  what  I  have  actually  seen, 
"and  heard,  and  felt,  relative  to  the  same  Divine  Person,  I  do 
"  in  the  first  place  ratify  all  my  former  depositions,  and  most 
"  solemnly  affirm,  on  the  word  of  a  Prophet,  an  Evangelist,  and 
"  an  Apostle,  that  what  I  have  now  to  say  is  the  truth,  and  nothing 

"  but  the  truth." "  I  was  in  the  spirit  on  the  Lord's  day,  and 

"  I  heard  behind  me  a  great  voice,  as  of  a  trumpet,  saying,  I 
"  am  Jllpha  and  Omega,  the  First  and  the  Last.  And  I  turned 
"  to  see  the  voice  that  spake  with  me.  And  being  turned  I  saw 
"  seven  golden  candlesticks  ;  and  in  the  midst  of  the  seven  can- 
"  dlesticks  One  like  unto  the  Son  of  Man,  clothed  with  a  gar- 


68  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

''  ment  down  to  the  foot,  and  girt  about  the  paps  with  a  golden 
»  girdle.  His  head  and  his  hairs  were  white  like  wool,  as  white 
"  as  snow ;  and  his  eyes  were  as  a  flame  of  fire ;  and  his  feet 
*' like  unto  fine  brass,  as  if  they  burned  in  a  furnace;  and  his 
"  voice  as  the  sound  of  many  waters.  And  he  had  in  liis  right 
<'  hand  seven  stars  :  and  out  of  his  mouth  went  a  sharp  two- 
"  edged'^sword  :  and  his  countenance  urns  as  the  sun  shineth  in 
f^  his  strength.  And  when  I  saw  him,  I  fell  at  his  feet  as  dead  ; 
<'  and  he  laid  his  right  hand  upon  me,  saying  unto  me,  Fear  not  j 
*^  I  am,  the  First  and  the  Last:  I  am  he  that  liveth^  and  ivas 
^^  dead  ;  s^ndhehoM,  I  am  alive  for  evermore,  Amen,"  Apoc.  i, 
10  to  18. 

The  whole  of  tliis  evidence  agrees  with  that  of  Ezekiel,  who 
saw  above  the  firmament  the  likeness  of  a  throne,  and  upon  that 
the  likeness  as  the  appearance  of  a  Man  above  upon  it.  He  also 
heard  ''  a  noise,  like  the  noise  of  great  waters,  as  the  voice  of  the 
^'  Mniighty  God,  when  he  speaketh,"  Ezek.  i.  24  to  28  ;  chap.  x. 
5.  In  like  manner  Daniel  describes  the  Ancient  of  days,  both  as 
to  his  garments,  and  the  hair  of  his  head,  chap,  vii,  9,  In  addi- 
tion to  which,  let  us  consider  the  account,  which  Moses  gives  of 
Jehovah  the  God  of  Israel  sitting  upon  his  throne,  Exod.  xxiv. 
10,11.  Then,  comparing  all  these  testimonies  together,  let  us 
draw  from  the  whole  one  general  conclusion.  The  result  must 
be,  That  Jehovah  the  God  of  Israel,  the  Ancient  of  days,  the 
Lord  God  of  the  prophets,  the  Son  of  Man,  the  Alpha  and  Ome- 
ga, the  First  and  the  Last,  he  tliat  was  dead,  (denied  and  reject- 
ed,) and  yet  is  alive  (acknowledged  in  his  true  church)  for  ever- 
more, together  jvith  every  other  name,  character,  and  signature 
of  Deity,  whether  it  be  the  Father,  Son,  or  Holy  Spirit,  Creator, 
Redeemer,  or  Regenerator,  Saviour,  Master,  or  Lord,  are  all  re- 
solvable into,  and  for  ever  to  be  identified  with,  the  one  blessed 
and  ^dqrable  name  Jesus  Christ. 


[28.]  Matt.  xiv.  15  to  21.     "  When  it  was  evening,  his  disci- 
•'  pies  came  to  him,  saying,  This  is  a  desert  place,  and  the  time 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  69 

'•  is  now  past;  send  the  multitude  away,  that  they  may  go  into 
"  the  villages,  and  buy  themselves  victuals.  But  Jesus  said  un- 
"  to  them,  They  need  not  depart,  give  ye  them  to  eat.  And  they 
*'  say  unto  him.  We  have  here  but^ue  loaves  and  two  fishes.  He 
"  said.Brinfr  them  hither  to  me.  And  he  commanded  the  multitude 
"  to  sit  down  on  the  grass,  and  took  the  five  loaves^  and  the  two 
^^  fishes,  and  looking  up  to  heaven,  he  blessed,  and  brake,  and 
•'  gave  the  loaves  to  his  disciples,  and  the  disciples  to  the  multi- 
"  tude.  And  they  did  all  eat,  and  were  filled :  and  they  took  up 
"  of  the  fragments  that  remained,  twelve  baskets  full.  And  they 
"tliat  had  eaten  were  about ^ re  thousand  men,  beside  women 
"  and  children.^^  See  also  chap.  xv.  32  to  38.  Mark  viii.  1  to  10. 
Luke  ix.  12  to  17. 


We  have  repeatedly  had  occasion  to  observe,  that  the  character 
and  attributes  of  the  Supreme  God  exclusively  belong  to  Jesus. 
We  say  exclusively,  because  wheresoever,  or  with  whomsoever, 
the  divine  perfections  are  found  to  exist  at  all,  there  they  must, 
of  very  necessity,  abide  in  all  their  fulness,  to  the  exclusion  of 
every  other  subject  or  substance  in  being.  But  it  is  difficult  for 
some  minds  (perhaps  in  consequence  of  the  peculiar  train  of  edu- 
cation in  which  they  have  been  brought  up,)  to  admit  of  such  a 
thing  as  the  union  of  Divinity  with  Humanity ;  conceiving  not 
only  that  the  one  is  infinitely  above  the  other,  but  that  they  are " 
even  opposed  to  each  other  in  every  faculty,  quality,  and  attri- 
bute of  their  respective  natures  ;  and  never  for  a  moment  allow- 
ing themselves  to  reflect,  that  those  principles  in  Deity,  which 
are  the  source  of  Humanity  in  mere  finite  intelligences,  may, 
in  a  way  infinitely  surpassing  our  comprehension,  present  them- 
selves to  the  actual  view  of  the  creature,  in  form  as  a  Man,  yet 
still  in  substance  and  in  essence  remaining  the  Infinite  and 
Eternal  God.  Such  a  view  of  Deity  is  exhibited  in  the  person 
of  the  Divine  Man  Jesus  Christ;  not  indeed  in  that  infirm  body 
of  mere  flesh  and  blood,  wliich  was  alike  subject  to  wounds,  and 
even  death,  with  the  finite  humanity  of  another  man,  but  in  that 
glorified  or  divine  body,  which  (as  lie  himself  says)  came  down 
from  heaven,  and  gives  life  to  the  world,  John  vi.  33,  51  to  56; 


ro  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

that  botly,  which  was  seen  in  glory  on  the  mountain  by  Peter. 
James,  and  John,  Matt.  xvii.  1  to  8 :  and  at  the  feet  of  which  the 
latter  fell  down  as  dead,  Apoc.  i.  17;  in  short,  that  Divine  Hu- 
man Form,  in  wliich  he  ascended  to  heaven,  and  in  which  also 
he  says,  "  I  am  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  beginning  and  the  ending, 
"  which  is,  and  wliich  was,  and  which  is  to  come,  the  Almighty. 
"  I  am  the  first  and  the  last :  I  am  he  tliat  livcth,  and  was  dead  ; 
"  (denied  and  rejected  by  men  ;)  and  behold,  I  am  alive  for  ever- 
"  more.  Amen,"  Apoc.  i.  8,  17,  18. 

Seeing  then  that  Divinity  and  Humanity  were  actually  uni- 
ted in  the  person  of  Jesus,  let  us  not  be  surprised,  that  he  acts 
the  God,  even  while  on  earth,  disguised  under  the  form  and  as- 
pect of  a  mere  man.  We  have  already,  in  some  of  our  former  ar- 
ticles, seen  and  admitted  the  evidence,  that  he  is  the  Saviour  and 
Redeemer  of  the  world  :  we  have  also  satisfied  ourselves,  but 
shall  still  further  demonstrate  in  the  succeeding  pages,  that  the 
character  of  Saviour  and  Redeemer  is  inseparable  from  the  name, 
the  person,  the  divine  essence  of  the  great  Jehovah  ;  besides 
whom,  as  Prophets,  Evangelists,  and  Apostles  all  testify,  there  is 
no  Saviour,  no  Redeemer,  to  participate  with  him  in  the  sacred 
glory.  But  where  is  the  proof  of  the  creating  power  of  Jesus, 
in  addition  to  that  of  his  healing,  saving,  redeeming,  and  pre- 
serving his  people  ?  It  lies  before  us  :  with  five  loaves  and  tu-o 
fishes,  the  substance  of  which  may  well  be  deemed  insufficient  to 
feed  and  fill  twenty  or  thirty  common  individuals,  an  immense 
multitude,  consisting  of  about  five  thousand  men,  besides  an  un- 
known number  of  women  and  children,  are  most  abundantly  sup- 
plied, and  filled  even  to  satiety :  for  after  all  had  eaten  to  tlie  ut- 
most extent  of  their  wishes,  there  were  taken  up  of  the  fragments 
that  remained  no  less  than  twelve  baskets  full  ;  a  surplus  quan- 
tity of  provision  exceeding  the  original  stock !  Wlience  came 
this  superabundance  of  nourishing  matter  ?  Whence  but  from 
the  creating  hand  of  Jesus,  who  now  exhibits  himself  in  his  origi- 
nal character  of  Creator,  Founder,  and  Builder  of  nature?  For 
to  supply  with  food  and  nourishment,  or  to  give  an  increase  of 
matter  by  the  instantaneous  conversion  of  spiritual  into  natural 
substance,  is  in  fact  to  create. 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  71 

And  this  leads  us  to  see  what  is  properly  meant  by  creation, 
namely,  that  it  is  (not,  as  some  have  imagined,  the  production  of 
something  out  oi  nothing' ;  for,  as  the  ancients  well  observed,  out 
of  nothing,  nothing  can  arise  ;  but  it  is)  the  descent  of  prior  sub- 
stances into  their  lowest  degree,  where  life  terminates,  and  inert 
matter  commences;  thus  it  is  then- production  in  ultimate  forms 
from  Him,  who  is  the  primary  source  and  origin  of  all  substance 
and  all  life,  Avhether  in  the  spiritual  or  in  the  natural  world.  In- 
deed the  perpetuation  of  existence  is  nothing  less  than  it's  re- 
iteical  every  moment ;  and  this  constant  renewal  of  existence, 
equally  with  the  first  act  of  creation,  requires  and  implies  a  di- 
vine power,  which  must  ever  be  regarded  as  in  a  state  of  uniform 
and  incessant  activity. 

But  why  should  we  dwell  on  a  single  instance  of  the  sovereign 
power  of  Jesus  in  the  creation  of  natural  food  for  the  support  of 
a  few  thousand  individuals,  when  we  are  surrounded  with  innu- 
merable wonders  of  a  similar  kind  ?  "  Jill  things  were  made  by 
"  him,  and  without  him  teas  not  any  thing  made  that  was  made. 
•'  He  was  in  the  world,  and  the  ivorld  was  made  by  him,  and  yet 
•'  the  world  knew  him  not,^"*  John  i.  3,  10.  Nor  to  the  present 
day  has  this  ignoi-ance  of  their  Creator  given  place  to  the  true 
knowledge  of  him,  although  the  Scriptures  abundantly  testify  to 
his  name,  his  character,  and  his  divine  person.  AVe  see,  there- 
fore, that  the  same  Provident  Hand,  which  supplies  a  worm  or 
a  man,  supplies  also  a  world,  a  system  of  worlds,  a  universe  j 
and  that  by  his  divine  creating  power  all  needful  sustenance  is 
first  produced  from  himself,  and  then  dispensed  among  the  off- 
spring of  his  love  and  care,  according  to  an  endless  variety  of  re- 
ception. 

But,  before  we  dismiss  this  article,  let  us  advert  to  a  transac- 
tion recorded  in  the  Old  Testament.  When  the  prophet  Elisha, 
on  occasion  of  a  dearth  in  the  land,  would  feed  the  sons  of  the 
prophets,  amounting  in  number  to  an  hundred  men,  a  similar  mi- 
racle was  performed  by  him,  or  rather  by  Jehovah  through  his 
instrumentality,  but  on  a  smaller  scale  than  that  related  in  the 
Gospel.  The  case  is  thus  laid  down  by  the  pen  of  inspiration. 
"  There  came  a  man  from  Baal-siialisha,  and  broush-t  the  man  of 


72  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

«  God  bread  of  the  first -fniits,  twenty  loaves  of  barley,  and  J'ull 
"  ears  of  corn  in  the  husk  thereof;  and  he  said,  Give  unto  the 
"  people,  that  thej  may  eat.  And  his  servitor  said,  What,  should 
"  I  set  this  before  an  hundred  men  ?  He  said  again,  Give  the 
"  people,  that  they  may  eat :  for  thus  saith  Jehovah,  They  shall 
"  eat,  and  shall  leave  thereof.  So  he  set  it  before  them,  and  they 
"  did  eat,  and  left  thereof,  according  to  the  word  of  Jehovah," 
2  Kings  iv.  42  to  44. 

Here  likewise,  taking  the  passage  in  it's  literal  sense,  and 
drawing  the  conclusion  which  obviously  results  from  the  remon- 
strance of  the  prophet's  servitor,  a  miraculous  increase  of  matter, 
or  an  instantaneous  conversion  of  spiritual  into  natural  substance, 
is  effected  by  the  will  and  the  word  of  Jehovah  the  Creator. 
Twenty  loaves  of  barley,  (which  from  the  circumstances  of  the 
^  case  we  may  presume  to  have  been  but  small,  as  they  were 
brought  by  one  man,)  and  some  full  ears  of  corn  in  the  husk,  are 
together  represented  as  very  inadequate  to  supply  the  wants  of 
an  hundred  men :  but  while  they  eat,  lo  !  the  divine  omnipotence 
is  at  work  in  creating  not  merely  a  sufficiency  of  food  for  the 
number  assembled,  but  even  a  superabundance ;  so  that  they  did 
eat,  and  left  thereof,  according  to  the  word  of  Jehovah. 

If  we  compare  this  miracle  of  the  Old  Testament,  wrought  by 
the  word  of  Jehovah  in  the  mouth  of  his  prophet  Elisha,  with 
the  miracle  of  the  New  Testament,  wrought  by  Jesus  in  his  own 
person,  we  cannot  help  being  struck,  first,  with  the  resemblance, 
which  the  one  bears  to  the  other,  as  if  intended  by  divine  wis- 
dom for  a  kind  of  repetition  of  the  same  thing  by  the  same  pow- 
erful  hand  ;  and,  secondly,  with  the  apparent  superiority  or  pre- 
eminence, which  the  latter  miracle  bears  over  the  former,  as  if  it 
were  the  design  of  our  merciful  and  benevolent  God  thereby  t» 
teach  us,  that  Divinity,  when  united  with  Humanity  in  his  own 
person,  actually  gains  an  accession  of  power,  at  least  in  regard 
to  it's  effects  on  man,  agreeably  to  the  prediction  of  Isaiah  con- 
cerning the  advent  of  Jehovah  into  the  world  in  the  form  of  a 
Man,  "  Behold,  the  Loud  Jehovah  shall  come  with  strong 
"  hand,  and  his  arm  shall  rule  for  him,"  Isa.  xl.  10.  "  The 
"  government  shall  be  upon  his  shoulder;  and  of  the  increase  of 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  75 

•'  his  government  and  peace  there  shall  be  no  end,"  Isa.  ix.  6,  7. 
This  may  be  further  confirmed  by  the  following  passages  :  "  The 
•■•  kin-^loms  of  this  world  are  become  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord, 
"  and  of  his  Christ,"  Apoc.  xi.  15.  "  We  give  thee  thanks, 
*'  O  Lord  God  Almighty,  who  art,  and  wast,  and  art  to  come ; 
'<  because  thou  hast  taken  to  thee  thy  great  imwer"  ver.  17. 
•'  Now  is  come  salvation,  and  strength,  and  the  kingdom  of  our 
'"  God.  and  the  poiver  of  his  Christ,"  Apoc.  xii.  10. 

The  miracle  wrought  by  Jehovah,  we  see,  supplies  an  hundred 
men  with  a  sufficiency,  and  even  a  surplus  of  food,  from  twenty 
loaves  of  barley,  and  some  full  ears  of  corn  in  the  husk  :  but  the 
miracle  wrought  by  Jesus  supplies  jfife  thousand  men,  besides  wo- 
men and  children,  with  an  equal,  perhaps  a  greater  superabun- 
dance of  food,  from  only  five  loaves  and  two  fishes  !  What  is  the 
inference  to  be  deduced  from  these  extraordinary  facts  ?  Nothing 
less  than  that  Jesus  is  himself  Jehovah,  but  Jehovah  incarnate, 
or  God  actually  appearing  in  the  human  form  ;  and  that  the  di- 
vine omnipotence,  when  exerted  prior  to  the  incarnation,  through 
the  medium  of  a  mere  man,  a  mere  prophet,  or  a  mere  angel, 
might  possibly  have  lost  in  part  it's  efficiency  by  the  imperfec- 
tion or  corruption  of  the  channel  of  it's  communication,  and  at 
the  same  time  by  the  remotenfess  of  it's  influx  ;  while,  on  the  con- 
trary, the  same  divine  power,  exerted  after  the  incarnation,  and 
thus  immediatehj,  or  in  and  by  the  divine  form  or  pei'son  called 
Jesus  the  Christ,  is  in  it's  fullest  and  highest  perfection,  and  at 
the  same  time  intimately  present  witli  man  to  teach,  to  feed,  to 
bless,  and  to  save  him  with  an  eternally  increasing  salvation. 

And  here  we  cannot  refrain  from  turning  to  our  Lord's  own 
doctrine  concerning  his  Humanity,  or  what  is  the  same  thing,  the 
Humanity  of  Jehovah,  which  is  also  called  the  Son,  to  distinguish 
it  in  idea,  but  not  in  act,  from  his  Divinity,  which  is  also  called  the 
Father.  It  appears,  that  the  great  difficulty  with  man,  in  direct- 
ing his  faith  and  his  worship  to  the  only  proper  Object,  is  such, 
as  to  require  the  whole  exertion  of  omniscience  and  omnipotesice 
united  to  counteract  the  evil  tendencies  of  his  nature,  and  to 
place  him  in  the  direct  way  of  salvation.  Revelation,  therefore, 
especially  the  Christian  revelation,  which  is  the  wisdom  and  the 

K 


74  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

wiU  of  Deity,  is  particularly  urgent  in  tliis  respect,  and  ceases 
not,  in  every  possible  way,  consistently  with  the  freedom  of  the 
human  mind,  to  warn,  direct,  encourage,  and  assist  us,  in  this 
most  essential  duty  of  our  life.  It  is  to  the  Son,  or  to  the  Hu- 
manity possessing  Divinity,  to  wham  we  are  constantly  directed, 
and  not  to  the  Father,  or  to  the  Divinity  abstracted  from  Huma- 
nity }  because  a  faith  in,  and  tlie  worship  of,  this  latter,  are  in  no 
respect  different  from  the  faith  and  worship  of  Deistical,  Jevvisli^ 
Mahometan,  or  Pagan  superstition :  whereas  faith  in  the  Son  of 
(iod,  or  in  the  Humanity  of  Jehovah,  and  at  the  same  time  the 
love  and  worship  of  that  Divine  Human  Form,  constitute  the 
very  essence  of  Christianity,  and  distinguish  the  believer  of  re- 
velation from  the  idolater  and  infidel  of  nature. 

Not  to  multiply  quotations,  we  will  select  only  a  few  from  the 
Gospel  of  Jolm,  wherein  the  faith  here  described  is  most  divinely 
recommended.  "  He,  vvliom  God  hath  sent,  speaketh  the  wordi 
'•  of  God  :  for  God  giveth  not  the  spirit  by  measure  (or  in  a.  finite. 
*•  degree)  unto  him,"  John  iii.  34.  The  Father  loveth  the  Son, 
■^•and  hath  given  all  things  into  his  hand,''-  ver.  35.  "  The  Fa- 
"  ther  judgeth  no  man,  but  hath  committed  all  judgment  unto  the 
"  Son  ;  that  all  men  should  honour  the  Son,  even  as  tliey  honour 
''  the  Father.  lie  that  honourcth  not  the  Sun,  honoureth  not  the 
"Father,  who  hath  sent  him,"  John  V.  22,  23.  "As  the  Father 
"  hath  life  in  himself,  so  hath  he  given  to  the  Son  to  have  life  in 
"himself,"  ver.  26.  "  Jrsus  said  unto  them,  lam  the  bread  of 
"  life :  he  that  cometh  to  me,  shall  never  hunger ;  and  he  that 
"  believeth  on  m,e,  shall  never  thirst,"  John  vi.  35.  "  This  is  the 
"  will  of  him  that  sent  me,  tliat  every  one  who  seeth  the  Son,  and 
"believeth  on  him,  may  have  everlasting  life,"  ver.  40. 

If  in  the  preceding  passages  selected^rom  the  Gospel  of  Joha 
any  preference  should  appear  to  be  given  to  the  Son,  or  to  the 
Jlnmanittf,  above  the  Father,  or  the  naked  IJivinity,  with  respect 
to  the  power  of  salvation,  it  is  to  be  understood  as  arising  from 
the  relation  in  wliicli  the  creature  necessarily  stands  to  the  Crea- 
tor; the  disparity  between  what  h  finite  and  what  is  infinite 
being  such,  that  in  order  to  render  the  perfections  and  attributes 
of  Deity  in  any  way  perceptible  to  man,,  there  must  be- a  bring- 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  75 

hig  down  or  accommodation  of  the  former  to  the  state  of  the  lat- 
ter. Tliis  is  effected  by  the  assumption  of  Humanity  by  the  Di- 
vinity, yet  in  such  a  way,  that  while  the  divine  perfe€tious  are 
as  it  were  attempered  or  reduced  to  the  state  of  Humanity,  so  as 
to  be  communicated  only  in  the  degree  and  proportion  of  recep- 
tion, still  the  ichole  ocean  of  divinity,  such  as  may  be  conceived 
to  be  peculiar  to  the  Father,  or  purely  divine  essence,  is  both  in- 
timately and  ultimately  united  with,  and  personally  embodied  in, 
the  Divine  Humanity  called  the  Son,  or  in  other  words,  the  Di- 
vine Man  Jesus  Christ.  Hence  it  may  be  truly  said,  and  the 
truth  contemplated  with  astonishment  both  by  angels  and  men, 
that,  though  in  respect  to  the  great  Jehovah  himself,  with  whom 
potency  and  actuality,  possibility  and  effect,  a.re  one  and  the  same, 
no  real  change  of  nature  lias  taken  place,  yet  with  respect  to  the 
creature,  with  whom  tliey  are  widely  different,  the  incarnation  or 
assumption  of  Humanity,  together  with  the  glorification  or  divi- 
nization  of  the  same,  have  added  a  lustre  to  the  countenance  of 
him  who  is  the  sun  of  righteousness,  which  did  not  before  exist, 
and  created  an  omnipotence,  which  could  not  be  exerted  before, 
or  which,  if  exerted,  could  neither  save  nor  benefit  the  human 
race  :  whereas  now,  since  the  incarnation  and  glorification,  all 
power  to  redeem  and  to  be  redeemed,  and  to  save  and  to  be  sav- 
ed, is  respectively  exercised  and  received  by  the  Creator  and  the 
creature, — the  Redeemer  and  the  redeemed, — .the  Saviour  and 
Protector  of  his  people,  and  the  subjects  of  his  everlasting  love 
and  mercy. 


[29.]  Matt.  xiv.  22,  25  to  33.  "  And  Jesus  constrained  his 
•'  disciples  to  get  into  a  ship,  and  to  go  before  him  unto  the  other 
»'  side,  while  he  sent  the  multitudes  away.  And  in  the  fourth 
•'  watch  of  the  night,  Jesus  went  unto  them,  walking  on  the  sea. 
•*  And  when  the  disciples  saw  him  walking'  on  the  sea,  they  were 
•'  troubled,  saying,  It  is  a  spirit ;  and  they  cried  out  for  fear.  But 
"  straightway  Jesus  spake  unto  them,  saying.  Be  of  good  cheer, 
"^  it  is  I,  be  not  afraid.  And  Peter  answered  him,  and  said.  Lord, 


76  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

"  if  it  be  thou,  bid  me  come  unto  thee  on  the  icater.  And  he  said, 
«  Come.  And  when  Peter  was  come  down  out  of  the  ship,  he 
"  icalked  on  the  icater,  to  go  to  Jesus.  But  when  he  saw  the 
"  wind  boisterous,  he  was  afraid:  and  beginning  to  sink,  he  cri- 
"  ed,  saying,  i/orc?,  sare  ?ji?.  And  immediately  J esvs  stretched 
'•'forth  his  hand,  and  caught  him,  and  said  unto  him,  O  tliou  of 
"  little  faith,  wherefore  didst  thou  doubt  ?  And  wlien  they  were 
"  come  into  the  ship,  the  wind  ceased.  Then  they  that  were  in 
*'  the  ship,  came  and  u'orshipped  him,  saying,  Of  a  truth  thou 
"  art  the  Son  of  God,''^  See  also  Mark  vi.  4a  to  51.  John  vi.  16 
to  21. 


We  have  already  seen,  in  a  former  article,  that  the  winds  and 
the  waves  were  obedient  to  the  word  of  Jesus  ;  that  the  storm 
and  the  tempest  were  in  a  moment  hushed  into  silence,  when  he 
gave  forth  his  voice.  We  now  learn,  that  one  of  the  fundamen- 
tal laws  of  nature  was  repealed,  or  at  least  suspended,  at  and 
during  his  pleasure.  Jesus  went  to  his  disciples,  ivalking  on  the 
sea.  And  not  only  was  this  most  oitraordinary  phenomenon  ex- 
hibited in  his  own  person :  hnt  Peter  also,  at  the  u-ord  of  the 
Lord,  and  by  faith  in  his  divine  omnipotence,  was  enabled  to 
astonish  the  beholders  by  ivalking  in  like  manner  on  the  surface 
of  the  liquid  element.  But,  to  convince  us,  that  such  a  distin- 
guishing prerogative,  as  that  of  walking  upon  the  water,  belonged 
not  to  a  mere  man,  but  was  derived  solely  from  him,  in  whom  are 
united  both  the  divine  and  the  human  essence,  Peter  yields  to  a 
sense  of  danger,  his  faith  wavers,  and  he  begins  to  sink.  In  that 
moment,  conscious  of  his  own  inability  to  deliver  himself  from 
impending  destruction,  and  trusting  for  help  in  him  whom  he 
believed  mighty  to  save,  he  earnestly  exclaims,  "  Lord,  help ; 
"  Lord,  save  ;  Lord,  deliver  me."'  And  immediately  Jesus  stretch- 
ing forth  liis  hand,  caught  him,  and  placed  him  within  the  sphere 
of  his  merciful  protection. 

On  this  occasion  what  were  the  feelings  of  those,  who  were  in 
the  ship,  witnesses  to  the  uncommon  scene .''  Were  they  led  to 
divide  their  veneration  between  Jesus  and  Peter,  or  to  ascribe 
to  the  latter  any  thing  beyond  the  power  of  a  mortal  man  .^    No 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  77 

truly :  but  all  their  attention,  all  their  astonishment,  selected  for 
it's  Object  the  jirsi  of  these  names;  Him,  whom  they  perceived 
to  be  at  once  the  Controller  of  nature,  the  Preserver  of  man,  and 
the  God  of  the  universe.  They  therefore  approached  him  in  aw- 
ful solemnity,  fell  down  at  his  feet  in  profound  humiliation,  and 
offered  him  the  incense  and  the  worship  of  tlie  heart,  saying,  "  Of  a 
*'  truth  thou  art  the  Son  of  God,  the  manifestation  of  Deity  itself, 
"  the  divine  form  of  the  divine  essence,  brought  down  to  the  per- 
"  ception  of  finite  man,  and  blessing  him  with  the  gift  of  effectual 
"  salvation." 

Such  is  the  doctrine  concerning  the  person  and  character  of  the 
Lord,  as  arising  from  a  view  of  the  literal  or  historical  sense  of 
this  part  of  the  Word.  But  if  we  raise  our  understandings  to  the 
contemplation  of  a  higher  or  more  interior  sense,  Ave  shall  dis- 
cern still  inore  abundant,  more  satisfactory  evidence  in  favour  of 
his  supreme  and  exclusive  divinity  :  for  we  shall  then  perceive, 
that  his  power  extends  beyond  the  limits  of  nature,  and  reaches 
to  the  extremities  even  of  heaven  itself.  Under  this  view  of  the 
subject,  it  will  be  found,  that  by  the  sea,  as  distinguislied  from  the 
land,  is  meant  the  idtimate  boundary  or  termination  of  heaven 
and  the  church ;  in  other  words,  that  external  state  of  life,  which 
is  comparatively  impacific,  because  subject  to  fluctuation  and 
perturbation,  and  beyond  which  perhaps  the  greater  part  of  the 
human  race,  who  are  saved,  do  not  permit  themselves  to  be  eleva- 
ted by  the  Lord.  This  explanation  of  the  term  sea  may  be  con- 
firmed by  many  passages  of  the  Word,  particularly  Apoc.  v.  13  j 
chap.  viii.  8,  9 ;  chap.  x.  2  to  6. 

By  Jesus'  walking  upon  the  sea  is  tlierefore  signified  his  pre- 
sence in  that  external  state,  and  an  influx  of  life  from  him  into 
those  who  are  the  subjects  of  it.  By  Peter^s  walking  upon  the 
water,  and  beginning  to  sink  through  fear,  is  denoted  the  ob- 
scure, imperfect,  and  wavering  faith  of  those  who  remain  in  the 
externals  of  the  Word,  of  heaven,  and  of  the  church.  And  by  Je- 
sus' stretching  forth  his  hand  to  Peter,  and  preserving  him,  is 
meant  the  final  salvation  of  all  such  as  believe  in  him  ;  which  is 
alone  to  be  ascribed  to  the  Omnipotence,  and  consequently  to  the 
Divinity,  of  the  Lord's  Humanity. 


78  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

Thus,  whether  we  draw  from  the  letter,  or  from  the  spirit  of 
tlie  Gospel,  the  result  is  still  the  same  :  and  to  a  mind  unpreju- 
diced by  former  opinions,  uninfluenced  by  the  authority  of  names 
«r  numbers,  and  open  to  the  reception  of  truth  purely  for  the 
sake  of  truth,  the  great  doctrine,  here  inculcated,  of  the  sole  divi- 
nity of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  must  present  it- 
self as  the  genuine,  unadulterated  testimony  of  the  Sacred  Scrip- 
tures. 


[30.]  Matt.  XV.  21  to  28.  "  Jesus  departed  into  the  coasts  of 
<'  Tyre  and  Sidon.  And  behold,  a  woman  of  Canaan  came  out  of 
«  the  same  coasts,  and  cried  unto  him,  saying.  Have  mercy  on  me, 
''  0  Lord,  thou  Son  of  David  ;  my  daughter  is  grievously  vexed 
*•  with  a  devil.  But  he  answered  her  not  a  word.  Then  came 
•'  she  and  ivorshipped  him, saying.  Lord, help  me.  And  Jesus  an- 
"  swered  and  said  unto  her,  O  woman,  great  is  thy  faith:  be  it 
"  unto  thee  even  as  thou  milt.  And  her  daughter  was  made  whole 
^'from  that  very  hour."     See  also  Mark  vii.  24  to  SO. 

Another  instance  is  here  given  of  faith,  prayer,  and  worship, 
all  directed  to  Jesus  alone,  without  the  most  distant  reference  to 
uny  other  superior  being  either  in  heaven  or  on  earth.  His  power 
to  cast  out  a  devil  is  acknowledged,  his  mercy  is  implored,  and 
his  divine  person  is  worshipped.  Can  the  God  of  the  universe  re- 
♦|uire  moi-e  from  his  dependent  creatures,  than  conduct  like  this  } 
Can  rational  man  make  a  more  acceptable  ottering  to  his  adorable 
Creator  }  But  see  !  the  faith,  the  prayer,  the  worship,  are  receiv- 
ed, approved,  and  honoured,  by  the  God-Man  Jesus  !  As  Lord 
of  the  church,  he  will  be  acknowledged  and  adored  ;  as  Victor 
over  all  the  powers  of  darkness,  he  will  be  supplicated  for  help 
and  deliverance ;  and  as  Creator,  Redeemer,  and  Regenerator, 
he  will  bless  his  people  with  his  love,  his  mercy,  and  his  everlast- 
ing salvation. 

It  is  in  vain,  therefore,  that  we  look  for  any  other  Deliverer, 
when  our  safety  is  to  be  found  in  Jesus  alone ;  in  vain  to  direct 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  T9 

Qur  faith,  our  prayers,  or  our  worship,  to  any  other  Object,  than 
to  the  Incarnate  God  ;  since  all  we  want,  and  all  we  can  re- 
ceive, must  be  derived  from  that  single  Fountain,  whose  streams 
of  life  are  ever  flowing,  and  enriching  the  mind  with  inexhausti- 
ble felicity. 


[31.j  Matt.  XV.  30,  31.  "  And  great  multitudes  came  unto 
"  him,  having  with  them  those  that  were  lame,  blind,  dumb, 
"  maimed,  and  many  others,  and  cast  them  down  at  Jesus's  feet, 
*'  and  he  healed  them :  Insomuch  that  the  multitude  wondered 
*'  when  they  saw  the  dumb  to  speak,  the  maimed  to  be  whole,  the 
"  lame  to  walk,  and  the  blind  to  see  :  and  they  glorified  the  God 
"  of  Israel:^ 


To  bring  under  review  all  the  miracles,  which  Jesus  performed 
in  the  days  of  his  flesh,  is  not  the  design  of  this  work ;  but  only 
to  collect  from  them  such  testimonies  of  his  power  and  godhead, 
as  we  conceive  cannot  easily  be  gainsaid  or  controverted.  It  was 
the  common  business  of  his  life  to  heal  the  sick,  the  lame,  the 
blind,  the  deaf,  the  dumb,  the  maimed,  the  lepers,  and  those  who 
were  afiiicted  with  any  kind  of  infirmity,  whether  natural  or  su- 
pernatural.   And  nothing  can  yield  more  satisfactory  evidence  of 
his  innate  powers,  than  the  various  cures  narrated  by  tlie  Evan- 
gelists, which  he  took  in  hand  to  perform.     On  many  such  occa- 
sions, the  surrounding  multitude,  as  well  as  the  patients  them- 
selves, expressed  their  astonishment  at  the  effects  produced,  and 
their  gratitude  to  the  benevolent  Physician.     And  although  at 
times  "  he  charged  them,  that  they  should  tell  no  man"  of  the 
great  cures,  which  he  performed  ;  yet,  "  the  more  he  charged 
"  them,  so  much  the  more  a  great  deal  they  published  him;  and 
<'  were  beyond  measure  astonished,  saying,   lie  hath  done  all 
"  things  well :  he  maketh  both  the  deaf  to  hear,  and  the  dumb  to 
"  speak,"  Mark  vii.  36,  37.    In  this  manner  they  glorified  Jesus, 
by  ascribing  to  him  a  power  and  a  name,  which  are  exclusively 
due  to  the  omnipotent  God.     And  thus  the  glorification  of  Je- 


80  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

sus  becomes  at  the  same  time  the  glorification  of  the  God  of 
Israel. 

But  why  did  Jesus  so  strictly  charge  his  disciples,  that  they 
should  tell  no  man  that  he  was  Jesus  the  Ckiust  ?  Why  did  he 
so  repeatedly  charge  the  blind,  the  deaf,  tlie  dumb,  and  others, 
whom  he  healed,  as  well  as  the  people  in  general,  who  were  wit- 
nesses of  his  miracles,  to  conceal  them,  and  not  to  blaze  them 
abroad,  as  they  were  naturally  inclined  to  do  ?  And  why  again 
did  he  give  such  particular  charge  to  the  devils  and  unclean  spi- 
rits, whom  he  cast  out  of  the  bodies  of  men,  and  who,  it  is  plain^ 
were  fully  apprized  of  his  high  character,  though  men  were  not, 
to  hold  their  peace,  and  not  to  take  his  name  within  their  profane 
lips?  To  these  and  such  like  questions  the  most  satisfactory 
answers  may  be  given,  when  the  true  nature  of  the  Lord's  ad- 
vent into  the  world  is  thoroughly  understood,  and  when  the  effect 
produced  by  the  divine  presence  on  unprepared  minds  is  properly 
attended  to. 

Had  Jesus  been  a  mere  man,  a  mere  messenger  and  servant  of 
Jehovah,  like  others  who  had  preceded  him,  surely  no  danger 
could  have  arisen  from  his  being  openly  proclaimed  as  t!ie  Mes- 
siah :  neither  could  the  knowledge  of  him,  and  of  Ids  miraculous 
works,  have  been  attended  with  any  results,  tliat  previously  re- 
quired more  care  and  caution  in  the  publication,  tban  did  the 
knowledge  of  any  other  prophet  and  good  man.  But  being  God 
himself  in.  the  flesh,  a  too  sudden  or  instantaneous  knowledge  of 
him  as  such,  without  due  preparation  of  mind  by  gradual  instruc- 
tion, and  by  tokens  of  repentance,  would  doubtless  have  proved 
fatal  to  many  in  those  days.  For  Jehovah,  or  the  divine  es- 
sence, cannot  approximate  too  near  to  man,  while  he  is  in  states 
of  evil  and  infidelity,  as  the  Jewish  nation  then  was,  without  the 
risk  of  an  immediate  consumption  or  extinction  of  his  life  :  on 
which  account  it  is  written,  that  "  no  man  can  see  Jehovah, 
"  and  live,^^  Exod.  xxxiii.  20.  For  the  same  reason  the  children 
of  Israel  were  prohibited  from  coming  too  near  the  border  of 
mount  Sinai,  when  Jehovah  descended  upon  it,  or  even  from 
attempting  out  of  mere  curiosity  to  gaze  upon  the  fire  and  smoke, 
which  then  covered  the  whole  mountain :  for  had  they  done  so, 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  81 

iiiaiiy  of  them  must  have  perished;    see  Exod.  xix.  12  to  24. 
I  Sam.  V.  &  vi. 

A  similar  danger  impended  over  the  heads  of  all,  who  heard 
ot  the  name,  the  character,  and  the  works  of  Jesus,  and  yet  be- 
lieved not  in  his  divinity,  or  that  he  was  the  omnipotent  God 
himself  in  human  form.  And  this  is  the  true  reason  why  John 
the  Baptist  was  sent  to  prepare  his  way,  as  an  Elijah  "  turning 
"  the  heart  of  the  fathers  to  the  children,  and  tlic  heart  of  the 
"  children  to  their  fathers,"  by  means  of  baptism  and  repentance  ; 
for  had  not  the  way  of  Jesus,  or  of  Jehovah  in  the  flesh,  been 
thus  prepared,  it  is  probable,  that,  as  the  prophet  observes,  "  the 
"  earth  itself  (or  church)  would  have  been  smitten  with  a  curse," 
Mai.  iv.  6. 

Again,  it  is  not  to  be  doubted,  that  the  knowledge  of  such  a 
person  as  Jesus  being  in  the  world,  who  claimed  and  justified  the 
title  of  Christ  or  Messiah,  if  unaccompanied  with  faith  in  him, 
at  least  as  the  Son  of  God,  or  Son  of  Man,  according  to  the  an- 
cient and  true  signification  of  this  last  title,  and  with  a  desire  to  be- 
come his  disciples,  might  have  occasioned  many  in  those  days  to 
incur  the  charge  and  the  guilt  of  profanation,  the  consequences  of 
which  would  have  extended  beyond  the  grave.  It  was  therefore 
better,  that  to  all  such  he  should  remain  entirely  unknown. 
Moreover  the  too  precipitate  or  incautious  publication  of  Jesus 
might  have  been  disorderly  in  another  point  of  view,  inasmuch 
as  it  might  have  hastened  his  hour  of  being  delivered  up  and  cru- 
cified before  the  proper  time,  that  is,  before  the  process  of  his 
glorification  had  come  to  it's  pre-determined  degree. 

These  considerations  satisfactorily  explain  why  Jesus,  who 
could  have  made  himself  as  public  as  he  pleased,  passed  the 
greater  part  of  his  life  in  so  recluse  and  private  a  condition,  that 
he  was  scarcely  heard  of  in  the  days  of  his  flesh,  until  the  time 
arrived,  when,  agreeably  to  his  own  divine  wisdom  and  order,  he 
was  willing  to  manifest  himself  to  those  comparatively  few  among 
the  Jewish  nation,  who  saw  him  in  person,  and  listened  with  as- 
tonishment to  his  voice.  For,  although  the  New  Testament  fre- 
quently speaks  of  him  as  exciting  tlie  attention  of  all  Jerusalem, 
and  of  all  the  people,  (and  this  probably  for  the  sake  of  the  inter- 


82  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

nal  sense,  which  required  such  comprehensive  expressions,)  yet 
other  collateral  histories  scarcely  make  any  mention  of  his  name. 
Even  Josephus,  tlie  Jewish  historian,  who  lived  about  fifty  years 
after  the  crucifixion  of  Jesus,  and  from  whom  we  might  have 
expected  an  ample  and  circumstantial  account  of  his  life  and 
miracles,  barely  notices  him  in  one  solitary  passage,  which  has 
not  escaped  the  suspicion  of  having  been  added  to  his  work  by 
some  Christian  transcriber.  But  whoever  it  might  have  been,  to 
whose  pen  we  are  indebted  for  the  cursory  but  honourable  men- 
tion of  the  name  of  Jesus  contained  in  that  History,  it  is  cer- 
tain, and  at  the  same  time  a  most  singular  circumstance,  that  the 
whole  of  our  information  concerning  the  birtli,  the  life,  and  the 
death  of  Jesus  is  derived  from  himself,  that  is,  from  his  Word 
of  the  Old  and  New  Testament.  And  herein,  as  well  as  in  other 
points  of  view,  we  perceive  the  divine  truth  of  what  he  so  em- 
phatically, if  not  prophetically,  declared,  when  he  said,  ^^  I  re- 
»'  ceive  not  testimony  from  man,'^  John  v.  34.  His  testimony,  his 
history,  his  life,  are  therefore  all  his  oivn:  and  if  John  the  Bap- 
tist was  unworthy  of  the  high  honour  of  unloosing  even  the  latchet 
of  his  shoe,  equally  unworthy  is  every  other  man  of  writing'  the 
history  of  his  life,  or  in  any  shape  whatever  of  giving  testimony  to 
his  divine  person. 

It  is  further  observable,  on  comparing  certain  passages  of  the 
Old  Testament  with  Mark  vii.  36,  before  quoted,  with  Matt.  xvi. 
£0 ;  chap.  xvii.  9,  and  many  others  of  a  like  nature  in  the  differ- 
ent Gospels,  that,  as  Jesus  was  desirous  of  concealing  himself 
and  his  real  character  from  the  too  general  notice  of  the  Jewish 
people,  and  others  his  adversaries,  for  the  reasons  already  as- 
signed ;  so  in  like  manner  is  it  declared  of  the  great  Jehovah, 
that  he  also  is  desirous  of  concealing,  covering,  and  thereby  de- 
fending from  profanation,  himself,  his  Word,  and  his  divine  pro" 
vidence  in  the  government  of  the  world.  '•  Verily  thou  art  a 
"  God  that  hidest  thyself,  0  God  of  Israel  the  Saviour,"  Isa.  xlv. 
15.  To  Moses,  who  desired  to  see  his  glory,  Jehovah  answered, 
"  It  shall  come  to  pass,  when  my  glory  passetli  by,  that  I  will 
"  put  thee  in  a  clift  of  the  rock ;  and  I  will  cover  thee  with  my 
'•  hand  while  I  pass  by.     And  I  will  take  away  my  hand,  and 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  83 

''  thou  shalt  see  my  back-parts  ;  but  my  face  shall  not  be  seen,^^ 
Exod.  xxxiii.  22,  23.  "Jehovah  will  create  upon  every  dwell- 
"ing-place  of  mount Zion,  and  upon  her  assemblies,  a  cloud:  for 
"  upon  all  the  glory  shall  be  a  defence,  for  covering,^^J  Isa.  iv.  5. 
And  thus  again  the  identity  of  Jesus  and  Jehovah  results  as 
well  from  their  unity  of  character  and  wisdom  of  conduct,  as 
from  the  names  and  titles  of  Deity,  by  which  they  are  both  equal- 
ly distinguished  in  the  Sacred  Pages. 

It  is  recorded  by  the  Evangelist  Matthew,  in  the  passage  se- 
lected for  observation,  that  the  multitude,  on  seeing  the  miracles 
performed  by  Jesus,  glorified  the  God  of  Israel.  But  wliat  are 
we  to  understand  by  such  glorification  ?  The  conviction  and  ac- 
knowledgment, that  a  divine  power  was  alone  equal  to  those  ex- 
traordinary facts,  which  they  then  beheld.  And  as  they  saw  the 
Agent,  by  whom  they  were  wrought,  and  perceived  that  he  act- 
ed of  his  own  personal  authority,  they  were  naturally  led  to  as- 
cribe to  him  all  the  merit,  the  glory,  and  tlie  honour,  resulting 
from  the  success  of  his  word.  And  in  so  doing,  they  actually 
glorified  the  God  of  Israel :  for  he,  who  was  born  the  Saviour  of 
his  people.  Matt.  i.  21.  Luke  ii.  11,  was  also  the  God  of  his  peo- 
ple ;  on  which  account  Zacharias,  when  filled  with  the  Holy  Spi- 
rit, exclaimed,  "  Blessed  be  the  Lord  God  of  Israel,  for  he  hath 
"  visited  and  I'edeemed  his  people,''''  Luke  i.  68.  And  to  the  same 
effect  prophesied  Isaiah,  in  the  passage  before  quoted,  «'  Verily 
"  thou  art  a  God  thathidest  thyself,  0  God  of  Israel  the  Saviour,''^ 
Isa.  xlv.  15.  To  glorify  the  God  of  Israel  is,  therefore,  the  same 
thing  as  to  glorify  the  Saviour  and  Redeemer  ;  and  to  glorify  the 
Saviour  and  Redeemer,  is  to  glorify  Jesus  :  for  he  alone  is 
the  Redeemer,  the  Saviour,  the  God  of  Israel,  and  the  God  of 
heaven. 


[32.]  Matt.  xvi.  18,  19.  «  I  say  also  unto  thee,  that  thou  art 
"  Peter,  and  upon  this  rock  /  will  build  my  church :  and  the 
"  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail  against  it.  And  Iivill  give  unto 
"  thee  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven :  and  whatsoever  thou 


V 


84  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIP8  OF 

*' shalt  bind  on  earth,  shall  be  bound  in  heaven:  and  whatsoever 
"thou  shalt  loose  on  earth,  shall  be  loosed  in  heaven.^^ 


Arrogance  and  presumption  in  the  extreme  must  it  have  been 
for  any  mere  mortal  man  to  have  used  such  language  as  this.  How 
could  such  an  one  have  suflBcient  confidence  in  himself  to  assert, 
1.  Tiiat  he  v.-as  the  founder  and  builder  of  a  church,  which  would 
acknowledge  him  alone  as  it's  author  and  owner.  ?  2.  That  the 
gates  of  hell,  that  is,  all  the  invisible  powers  of  darkness  in  com- 
bination together,  should  never  prevail  against  such  a  church, 
while  it  continued  in  the  belief  and  worship  of  him  as  the  Son  of 
the  living  God.,  or  in  other  words,  as  the  very  form  of  the  divine 
essence.  ?  S.  That  he  himself  was  actually  vested  with  the  power 
and  authority  of  giving  to  another*  the  right  of  opening  and 
shuttins;  the  kingdom  of  heaven  to  or  against  whomsoever  he 
pleased.  .^  And  yet  all  this  is  most  evidently  implied  in  the  an- 
swer of  Jesus  to  Peter :  "  Upon  this  rock  /  will  build  my  church  ; 
*'and  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail  against  it.  And  I  will 
^^  give  unto  thee  the  kei/s  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,^^  &c. 

The  authority,  which  is  here  assumed  by  Jesus,  inasmuch  as 
it  extends  both  to  heaven  and  hell,  necessarily  involves  his  ab- 
solute  dominion  over  all  created  intelligences ;  a  dominion,  which 
neither  man  nor  angel  is  competent  to  exercise  for  a  single  mo- 
ment, but  He  only,  upon  whose  shoulders  rests,  and  ever  will 
rest,  the  government  of  the  universe,  and  who,  though  born  as  a 
Child,  given  and  acknowledged  as  a  Son,  is  yet  in  truth  "  the 
"  mighty  God,  the  everlasting  Father,  and  the  Prince  of  j)eace,^' 
Isa.  ix.  6.  Well  therefore  may  the  Psalmist  exclaim,  in  admira- 
tion of  such  an  omnipresent  and  omnipotent  Being,  "  Whither 

•  This  is  only  expressed  according  to  the  literal  sense  of  the  words :  for, 
spirituaUij  considered,  such  power  was  not  given  to  Peter  as  a  man,  but  to  the 
faith  which  he  professed,  or  the  acknowledjment  which  he  then  made,  that 
Jesvs  was  the  "Chuist,  the  Son  of  the  living  God,"  in  other  words,  that  he 
was  the  divine  form  of  the  divine  essence,  i.  e.  God  incarnate,  and  thus  visible 
and  accessible  to  his  creatures.  To  a  faith  of  this  character,  by  whomso- 
ever possessed,  is  given  tlie  power  of  opening  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  of 
closing  the  kingdom  of  darkness. 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  85 

"  shall  I  go  from  thy  spirit  ?  or  whither  shall  I  flee  from  thy 
"  presence  ?  If  I  ascend  up  into  heaven,  thou  art  there :  if  I 
"  make  my  bed  in  hell,  behold,  thou  art  there.  If  I  take  the 
"  wings  of  the  morning,  and  dwell  in  the  uttermost  parts  of  the 
"  sea ;  even  there  shall  thy  hand  lead  me,  and  thy  right  hand 
"  shall  hold  me,"  Ps.  cxxxix.  7  to  10. 

With  this  also  agrees  the  doctrine  of  Jesus  concerning  him- 
self; "  Ml  power  is  given  unto  me  in  heaven  and  in  earth,^^  Matt, 
xxviii.  18.  And  again, "  Ml  things  that  the  Father  hath,  are  mine,'''* 
John  xvi.  15.  Beyond  this  no  conception  can  penetrate,  no  un- 
derstanding venture  an  attempt.  Convinced,  therefore,  that  Je- 
sus is  God,  and  God  alone,  with  our  countenances,  our  eyes,  and 
our  hearts  pointing  to  him,  we  take  up  the  language  of  David  and 
of  Daniel,  and  say,  "  Thy  kingdom  is  an  everlasting  kingdom, 
"  and  thy  dominion  endureth  throughout  all  generations,"  Ps. 
cxlv.  13.  Dan.  vii.  14. 

We  might  here  enter  into  a  full  ^nd  particular  explanation  of 
our  Lord's  words  to  Peter,  and  shew  what  is  meant  by  giving 
him  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  what  by  binding  and 
loosing  on  earth  and  in  heaven,  and  why  the  effect  in  heaven  is 
represented  as  dependent  on  the  effect  on  earth.  But  as  the 
principal  design  of  this  volume  is  to  draw,  from  the  various  pas- 
sages selected  for  comment,  the  doctrine  of  the  sole  divinity  of 
our  Lord  and  vSaviour  Jesus  Christ,  wliich  we  have  already 
done  in  the  present  instance,  it  would  in  some  degree  be  deviat- 
ing from  our  plan,  were  we  to  bring  forward  illustrations  not  di- 
rectly applicable  to  that  point.  Nevertheless,  as  a  brief  and 
very  general  explanation  of  the  remarkable  passage,  which  we 
have  already  brought  into  view,  may  have  it's  use,  we  shall  give 
it  without  further  apology. 

By  Peter,  to  whom  were  given  tlie  keys  of  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,  and  especially  by  the  con/(?ssion  just  before  made  by  him. 
That  Jesus  was  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God,  is  un- 
derstood a  true  and  genuine  faith  in  the  divinity  of  Jesus. 

By  Jesus  saying  to  him.  Thou  art  Peter,  and  xipon  this  rock  I 
will  build  my  church,  is  signified,  that  Peter  as  a  person  was  the 
representative  or  organ  of  the  confession  of  faith,  which  he  then 


86  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

made  ;  and  that  such  faith,  or  such  acknowledgment  of  the  divi- 
nity of  Jesus,  is  the  very  basis,  foundation,  and  commencement 
of  the  true  Cliristian  cliurch  in  the  lieart  of  man. 

By  the  gates  of  hell  being  unable  to  prevail  against  it,  is  signi- 
fied, that  no  hostile  power  originating  in  evils  and  falses  should 
ever  gain  the  dominion  over  those,  in  whose  minds  the  church  so 
founded  in  genuine  faith,  united  with  genuine  charity,  is  estab- 
lished and  confirmed  by  purity  of  life. 

By  giving  to  Peter  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  is  signi- 
fied, that  the  faith  above  described,  which  is  a  faith  not  separated 
from  charity,  but  ever  united  with,  and  derived  from  it,  is  the 
only  medium  of  conjunction  with  the  Lord,  and  thus  of  introduc- 
tion into  that  eternal  state  of  happiness  and  blessedness,  which 
is  so  emphatically  called  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  It  must  be 
plain  to  every  understanding,  that  A-^^s  denote  the  power  of  open- 
ing and  shutting :  hence  a  true  faith  in  the  divinity  of  the  Lord 
may  be  said  to  hold  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  because  it 
not  onl}^  admits  into  heaven  all  who  are  prepared  for  admission, 
but  it  also  closes  heaven  against  tlie  unbelieving  and  the  ungodly; 
or,  to  speak  more  correctly,  it  becomes,  by  the  mere  opposition 
of  the  latter,  the  occasion  of  their  self -ex  elusion. 

By  binding  or  loosing  in  heaven  whatsoever  is  bound  or 
loosed  on  earth,  is  signified,  that  according  to  the  actual  life  of 
the  man,  who  possesses  or  professes  faith,  while  in  the  body,  that 
is,  according  to  the  degree  in  which  the  evils  and  corruptions  of 
tlie  human  heart  shall  be  either  restrained  or  indulged,  and  tlie 
opposite  heavenly  aftections  from  the  Lord  either  admitted  or  re- 
jected, by  man,  during  his  abode  in  the  natural  world,  in  the  same 
degree,  and  in  no  other,  will  his  future  and  final  state  hereafter 
be  determined,  whether  it  be  in  agreement  or  in  disagreement 
with  the  heavenly  and  divine  life. 

Such,  in  a  general  point  of  view,  maybe  considered  the  nature, 
tendency,  and  import  of  that  remarkable  passage  in  the  conver- 
sation, which  our  Saviour  held  with  Peter  and  the  rest  of  his  dis- 
ciples. The  interpretation  put  upon  the  same  words  by  the  Ro- 
mish church,  and  the  power,  which  has  in  consequence  been 
usurped  over  the  souls  and  bodies  of  men,  under  the  pretence  of 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  87 

an  authority  derived  from  the  mere  literal  sense,  are  too  well 
known,  and  at  this  day  too  contemptible,  to  merit  our  serious  at- 
tention. Let  the  Protestant,  Reformed,  dr  Evangelical  man, 
which  ever  is  the  name  he  assumes,  be  careful  that  he  does  not 
tread  too  closely  on  the  heels  of  his  Catholic  brother.  How  many 
passages  in  the  Word  are  there,  that  will  no  more  admit  of  a  plain 
literal  construction,  than  the  one  we  have  just  now  been  consi- 
dering !  How  many,  from  which  equally  fallacious,  equally  ab- 
surd doctrines  are  drawn  by  tlie  Reformed,  the  Enlightened,  the 

(soi-disant)   Rational  Christian! But  here  we  stop:  other 

most  important  subjects  demand,  and  must  receive  our  atten- 
tion. 


[35.]  Matt.  xvii.  1,  2.  "  And  after  six  days,  Jesus  taketh 
'•  Peter,  James,  and  John  his  brother,  and  bringeth  them  up  into 
*'  an  high  mountain  apart,  and  was  transfigured  before  them ; 
'•  and  his  face  did  shine  as  the  sun,  and  his  raiment  was  white  as 
'-  the  light.^'  See  also  Mark  ix.  2  to  8.  Luke  ix.  28  to  36.  Apoc. 
i.  13  to  18. 


Of  all  the  subjects  in  Christian  theology,  the  doctrine  concern- 
ing the  person  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  is  confes- 
sedly the  first.  Yet  notwithstanding  it's  great  importance,  and 
the  many  volumes  which  have  been  written  upon  it  in  every  age 
of  the  church,  it  does  not  appear  to  have  been  properly  under- 
stood by  any  writer  or  commentator,  until  the  commencement  of 
the  J\i''ew  Jerusalem  dispensation,  which  is  also  the  era  of  the 
Lord's  second  advent.  This  impenetrable  obscurity,  in  which 
the  subject  has  hitherto  been  involved,  was  doubtless  occasioned 
by  not  rightly  distinguishing  between  the  infirm  humanitij,  which 
was  assumed  by  the  Lord  from  the  mother,  and  the  Divine  Hu- 
maniti/,  which  proceeded  forth  from  the  Father.  For,  however 
new  or  singular  the  sentiment  may  appear,  on  the  first  mention 
of  it,  yet  a  fair  and  candid  investigation  will  lead  to  a  full  con- 
viction of  this  great  truth,  namely,  that  the  Lord  was  possessed. 


88  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

of  two  distinct  humanitiea^  or  if  you  please,  of  two  distinct  prin- 
ciples of  humanity  ;  in  the  one  of  which  he  appeared  as  another 
man,  yea  was  as  another  man,  but  in  the  other  he  was  more  than 
a  man,  being  no  less  than  God  himself  in  a  human  form.  On  a 
true  knowledge  of  this  distinction  depends  the  right  understand- 
ing of  all  those  passages  of  Scripture,  which,  by  their  seeming 
contrariety  to  each  other,  liave  long  puzzled  the  church,  and 
given  countenance  to  a  variety  of  contending  parties  within  it. 

Because  in  some  passages  we  meet  with  an  account  of  the  suf- 
ferings, hunger,  thirst,  and  death  of  Jesus,  which  are  infirmities 
only  incident  to,  and  capable  of  being  experienced  by,  mere  hu- 
Inanity;  therefore  some  have  concluded,  as  the  »9oci?itrt?z  Unita- 
rians, that  he  could  be  no  other  than  a  mere  man  like  themselves, 
the  natural  offspring  of  Joseph  and  Mary.  And  although  the 
Scriptures  seem  studious  to  prevent  such  an  idea  entering  into 
the  mind  of  man,  by  expressly  declaring,  that  Joseph  was  only 
his  supposed,  not  his  real  father,  yet,  rather  than  renounce  the 
sentiments  they  have  embraced,  the  advocates  for  the  mere  hu- 
manity of  Jesus  have  recourse  to  this  arbitrary  and  groundless 
supposition,  that  the  account  given  in  the  Gospel,  of  his  concep- 
tion and  birth,  is  an  interpolation  that  has  crept  into  the  sacred 
text  either  by  carelessness  or  design. 

Others  again,  observing  that  in  various  parts  of  the  Word  cer- 
tain attributes,  properties,  and  qualities,  are  ascribed  to  Jesus, 
which  do  not  at  all  comport  with  the  infirmities  and  imperfections 
of  mere  humanity,  but  are  rather  characteristic  of  super-angelic, 
if  not  of  divine  perfection,  conclude,  that  he  must  be  more  than 
a  man,  or  even  an  angel,  and  therefore  consider  him  as  the  high- 
est created  being,  and  tlie  chief  agent,  under  God  himself,  by 
whom  creation,  redemption,  and  salvation  were  effected.  .Such 
is  the  opinion  entertained  by  Jirians,  who,  inasmuch  as  they  deny 
the  Lord  to  be  possessed  of  personal  and  proper  divinity,  differ 
but  little  in  tliis  respect  from  their  brethren  the  Sucinians:  but 
in  regard  to  his  humanity,  they  are  both  perfectly  agreed,  that  it 
was  like  tliat  of  another  man,  neither  of  them  having  any  know- 
ledirc  whatever  of  his  Divine  Humanity  derived  from  the  Fa- 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  89 

ther,  or,  what  amounts  to  the  same  thing,  derived  from  his  own 
divine  essence. 

There  is,  however,  another  class  of  men,  called  Trinitarians,  of 
whom  indeed  the  general  bulk  of  Christian  professors  consists, 
who  ascribe  something  of  divinity  to  the  Lord,  and  rank  him 
sometimes  as  equal  with  God,  sometimes  as  inferior,  but  at  all 
times  as  a  Mediator  between  God  and  man.  These  also  have  no 
other  idea  of  the  Lord's  Humanity,  than  as  of  the  humanity  of 
another  man  :  for,  having  no  conception  of  two  distinct  humani- 
ties, or  principles  of  humanity,  the  one  substantial  and  divine,  the 
other  material  and  infirm,  they  still  suppose  him  to  be  tlie  Son  of 
Mary,  and  likewise  of  David,  because  he  is  so  called  in  the 
Word,  in  reference  to  his  infirm  humanity ;  when  yet  the  Lord 
plainly  enough  denied  that  he  was  the  Son  of  either,  with  respect 
to  his  Glorified  or  Divine  Humanity. 

That  the  Lord  would  not  acknowledge  either  his  mother  or  his 
brethren  according  to  the  flesh,  but  such  only  as  were  related  to 
him  by  si}iritual  affinity,  appears  from  the  following  passage  in 
the  Gospel  of  Matthew :  "  While  he  yet  talked  to  the  people,  be- 
"  hold,  his  mother  and  his  brethren  stood  without,  desiring  to 
<•  speak  with  him.  Then  one  said  unto  him.  Behold,  thy  mother 
*'  and  thy  brethren  stand  without,  desiring  to  speak  with  thee. 
«  But  he  answered  and  said  unto  him  that  told  him.  Who  is  my 
"  mother  ?  and  who  are  my  brethren  ?  And  he  stretched  forth 
"  his  hand  towards  his  disciples,  and  said,  Behold  my  mother,  and 
"  my  brethren.  For  whosoever  shall  do  the  will  of  my  Father 
"  who  is  in  heaven,  the  same  is  my  brother,  and  sister,  and  mO' 
"  ther,''  Matt.  xii.  46  to  50. 

And  that  he  would  not  allow  himseli,  in  his  character  of 
Christ,  or  in  respect  to  his  Divine  Humanity,  to  be  considered 
as  the  Son  of  David,  but  on  the  contrary  as  David's  Lord,  is 
plain  from  the  question,  which  he  put  to  the  Pharisees.  For 
"  while  the  Pharisees  were  gathered  together,  Jesus  asked  them, 
"  saying,  What  think  ye  of  Christ?  ichose  Son  is  he?  They 
«  say  unto  him.  The  Son  of  David.  He  saith  unto  them.  How 
"  then  doth  David  in  spirit  call  him  Lord,  saying.  The  Lord 
•*  said  unto  my  Lord,  Sit  thou  on  my  right  hand,  till  I  make 

M 


90  .  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

«  thine  enemies  thy  footstool  ?  If  David  then  call  him  Lorb, 
«  how  is  he  his  Son  ?"  Matt.  xxii.  41  to  45.  It  is  added,  that 
^'  no  man  ivas  able  to  answer  him  a  word^  And  truly  all  the 
reasonings  and  disputations  on  the  subject,  which  have  taken 
place  from  that  day  to  the  present,  among  the  different  classes  of 
professing  Christians,  as  above  described,  have  still  left  the  ori- 
ginal question  undecided ;  and,  for  any  light  that  has  appeared 
among  them,  the  Pharisees  of  all  ages  might  as  well  have  remain- 
ed  dumb,  in  imitation  of  their  predecessors,  as  to  have  teazed  and 
tormented  the  world  by  their  noisy,  but  empty  and  useless  spe- 
culations. 

Having  made  these  observations  relative  to  the  sentiments  ge- 
nerally embraced  concerning  the  person  of  the  Lord,  from  which 
it  appears,  that  no  true  knowledge  of  the  subject  has  been  pos- 
sessed by  the  church,  we  will  now  proceed  to  demonstrate,  that, 
besides  the  infirm  humanity,  which  the  Lord  received  from  the 
mother,  and  in  which  he  was  known  to,  and  conversant  with,  the 
Jewish  people,  he  had  also  a  Divine  Humanity,  derived  from  Je- 
hovah the  Father,  in  the  same  manner  as  a.  form  is  derived  from 
it's  essence  ;  and  tliat  in  this  Divine  Human  Form  he  is  to  be 
worshipped  and  adored  as  the  One  Only  God  of  heaven  and 
earth. 

When  the  Lord  came  into  the  world,  he  assumed  by  birth  a  hu- 
manity or  body  from  the  mother  Mary,  which  was  in  all  respects 
like  the  humanity  or  body  of  another  man,  being  subject  to  like 
infirmities,  necessities  and  wants,  as  others  were.  But  inasmuch 
as  he  was  conceived  from  Jehovah  the  Father,  without  the  me- 
diation of  a  man,  it  follows,  that  his  interior  essence  or  soul  was 
divine  :  and  as  Divinity  is  in  it's  own  nature  indivisible,  Ids  soul 
must  therefore  have  been  tlie  Divinity  itself,  or  in  other  words, 
Jehovah  the  Father  himself.  And  in  this  respect  he  essentially 
differed  from  all  other  men,  who  inherit  from  their  parents  only  a 
human  essence,  as  well  interiorly  from  tlieir  father,  as  exteriorly 
from  their  mother :  whereas  the  Lord  inherited  interiorly  a  di- 
vine essence  from  the  Father  Jehovah,  and  exteriorly  a  human 
essence  from  the  mother  Mary.  But  this  humaw  essence  from  the 
mother  not  according  \rith  the  divine  essence  from  the  Father, 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  91 

being  in  it's  very  nature  in  opposition  to  it,  and  incapable  of  be- 
ing transmuted  into,  or  commixed  with  it,  it  again  follows,  that 
the  divine  essence  must  have  been  in  the  continual  act  of  putting 
off  or  separating  from  itself  the  mere  humanity  from  the  mother, 
and  of  putting  on,  in  it's  stead,  a  Humanity  like  unto  itself,  that 
is  to  say,  a  Divine  Humanity. 

Now  as  the  Lord  had  from  the  beginning  an  infirm  humanity 
from  the  mother,  which  he  successively  or  by  degi-ees  put  off,  and 
also  the  rudiments  of  a  Divine  Humanity  from  tl\e  Father,  which 
he  was  continually  putting  on,  or  by  degrees  bringing  into  actu- 
ality and  fulness,  therefore,  whilst  he  was  in  the  world,  he  was 
pleased  to  undergo  two  states,  one  a  state  of  humiliation  or  ex- 
inanition,  the  other  a  state  of  glorification  or  unition  with  the 
Divinity  which  is  called  the  Fatlier.  In  his  state  of  humiliation, 
which  was  at  the  time  and  in  the  degree  he  was  in  tlie  humanity 
from  the  mother,  he  prayed  to  the  Father  as  to  a  person  distinct 
from  himself:  but  in  his  state  of  glorification,  which  was  at  tlie 
time  and  in  the  degree  he  was  in  the  Humanity  from  the  Father, 
he  spake  of  and  with  the  Father  as  one  with  himself.  In  the 
former  state,  or  in  the  infirm  humanity,  he  underwent  tempta- 
tions, suffered  hunger,  thirst,  buffetings,  crucifixion,  and  death ; 
and  likewise  prayed,  that  the  Father  or  divine  essence  would  not 
forsake  him  :  for  it  was  not  possible  that  either  the  Divinity  or 
the  Divine  Humanity  could  be  tempted,  much  less  could  either  of 
lliem  suffer  the  death  of  the  cross.  In  the  latter  state,  or  in  the 
Divine  Humanity,  he  said,  that  the  Father  was  in  him,  and  he  in 
the  Father ;  that  the  Father  and  he  were  one ;  that  whosoever 
saw  him,  saw  the  Father  also  j  that  all  things  belonging  to  the 
B'ather  were  his ;  and  that  all  power  was  given  to  hini  both  in 
heaven  and  in  earth.  In  this  latter  state  also,  while  he  was  in 
his  glorified  or  Divine  Humanity,  he  manifested  himself  to  his 
disciples  Peter,  James,  and  John,  when  he  was  transfigured  be- 
fore them  on  the  mountain ;  on  which  occasion  "  his  face  did 
"  shine  as  the  sun,  and  his  raiment  was  white  as  the  light ;"  a 
description  this,  surely  not  of  a  mere  man,  but  of  the  true  God 
in  a  human  form. 


92  A  8EAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

Viewing  the  Lord  in  this  divine  form,  the  brilliancy  and  glort 
of  which,  together  with  the  voice  tliat  was  heard  from  the  cloud, 
overpowered  the  faculties  of  the  beholders,  and  caused  them  to 
fall  down  on  their  faces  as  dead,  in  self-abasement  or  annihila- 
tion ;  is  it  possible  for  a  moment  to  suppose,  that  this  could  be 
the  humanity  which  was  subject  to  the  scorn,  the  derision,  and 
persecution  of  the  Jews  ?  On  the  contrary,  is  it  not  plain,  that, 
besides,  yet  within,  the  material  body,  the  Lord  was  possessed  of 
a  Divine  Humanity,  similar  to  the  pure  Divinity  itself;  and  that 
in  this  Humanity  he  presented  himself  to  his  disciples,  when 
transfigured  before  them  in  spiritual  vision,  as  the  sole  Object 
of  their  love  and  adoration  ? 

But  what  are  we  to  understand  particularly  by  transfigura- 
tion ?  It  is  the  passage,  or  transition,  from  one  form  to  another. 
Thatj  froimvhich  the  transition  was  made,  in  the  case  of  Jesus, 
was  the  infirm,  material,  finite  form,  derived  from  the  mother  : 
but  that,  to  which  the  transition  was  made,  was  the  divinely  sub- 
stantial form,  derived  from  Jehovah  the  Father,  and  therefore 
infinite  in  all  it's  perfections.  Of  these  two  forms  the  prophet 
Isaiah  distinctly  speaks,  in  chjip.  liii.  calling  the  divine  form  the 
very  arm  of  Jehovah,  to  denote  it's  omnipotence  ;  while  he  de- 
scribes the  infirm  body,  in  which  he  also  makes  his  appearance, 
as  subject  to  the  common  lot  of  humanity,  and  at  length  as 
wounded,  bruised,  and  cut  off  from  the  land  of  the  living.  Many 
other  parts  of  the  Word  make  a  similar  distinction  ;  but  all  ul- 
timately tend  to  establish  and  confirm  our  faith  in  the  Divine 
Form  alone,  in  which  are  concentrated,  and  with  which  are  for 
ever  united,  all  the  powers,  attributes,  and  perfections,  that 
can  by  any  possibility  be  referred  to  the  pure  and  naked  Deity 
itself. 

It  was  not  with  the  material  eye,  that  this  latter,  or  tlie  Divine 
Humanity,  was  beheld,  but  with  the  ei/e  of  the  spirit:  for  ma- 
terial organs  can  only  perceive  material  objects  ;  and  hence  spi- 
ritual organs  are  necessary  to  discern  spiritual  forms.  The 
transition,  on  the  part  of  tlie  disciples,  from  tlie  one  kind  of  vi- 
sion to  the  other,  or  from  natural  into  spiritual  light,  produced 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  93 

the  effect,  which  is  described  by  the  transfiguration  of  Jesus,  and 
by  the  appearance  of  Moses  and  Elias  conversing  with  him ;  by 
which  latter  circumstance  is  denoted  the  concurring  testimony 
of  the  historical  and  prophetical  parts  of  the  Word,  when  view- 
ed in  heavenly  light,  to  ihe  Divinity  of  the  Lord's  Humanity. 
The  glory,  in  which  he  was  seen,  was  a  glory  which  had  nothing 
in  common  with  the  glory  of  this  world.  So  distinct  indeed  was 
it  from  every  thing  of  the  kind,  that  it  could  only  be  discerned 
by  those,  who  were  abstracted  from  natural  light,  and  who,  like 
men  awaking  out  of  sleep,  (Luke  ix.  32.)  were  supernaturally 
raised  into  spiritual  vision  ;  consequently  not  by  the  Jewish 
people,  who  were  immersed  in  sensuality ;  not  by  the  learned 
scribes  and  Pharisees,  whose  eyes  were  open  only  to  the  tradi- 
tions and  vain  speculations  of  outward  science  ;  and  not  even  by 
the  disciples  in  general,  whose  faith  was  doubtful,  fluctuating, 
and  obscure  :  and  yet  it  was  a  glory,  which  perpetually  beamed 
from  his  divine  countenance,  and  spread  around  him  an  unin- 
terrupted  day. Such  is  the  difference  between  natural  and 

spiritual  vision,  and  such  the  effect  of  the  transfiguration  of  Je- 
sus, or  in  other  words,  the  elevation  of  his  disciples  from  a  view 
of  his  infirniy  material  body,  to  the  contemplation  of  his  Glorified 
or  Divine  Humanity. 

Hitherto  we  have  considered  the  transfiguration  of  Jesus  in 
more  immediate  reference  to  his  person.  And  perhaps  what  has 
been  already  advanced  may  be  quite  sufficient  to  satisfy  the  read- 
er, that  our  doctrine  concerning  the  Lord's  Humanity  is  per- 
fectly agreeable  to  the  Sacred  Scriptures.  But  as  the  passage, 
•which  forms  the  basis  of  these  reflections,  carries  with  it  an  air 
of  uncommon  interest,  and  is  capable  of  most  extensive  and  use- 
ful application,  when  explained  in  it's  interior  sense,  we  shall 
take  the  liberty  of  making  some  further  remarks  in  illustration  of 
it's  divine  contents. 

In  general  it  may  be  observed,  that  whatever  is  predicated  of 
the  Lord  as  a  Person,  is  also  true  in  respect  to  the  Word, 
which  is  from  him,  and  thus  in  the  supreme  sense  is  himself.  His 
transfiguration  therefore  will  admit  of  application  to  the  AVord, 
particularly  to  it's  spiritual  or  internal  sense,  as  distinguished 


94  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

from  it's  natural  or  literal  sense.  The  transition  or  ascent  from 
the  one  to  the  other  will  also  be,  in  it's  kind,  a  transfiguration  oi 
the  Word,  and  will  mutually  illustrate,  and  receive  illustration 
from,  the  transfiguration  of  the  Lord's  person.  But  we  will  take 
the  passage  in  it's  regular  order. 

It  is  written,  that  "  after  six  days  Jesus  taketh  Peter,  James. 
*•  and  John  his  brother,  and  bringeth  them  up  into  an  high  moun- 
*'  tain  apart,  and  was  transfigured  before  them ;  and  his  face  did 
"  shine  as  the  sun,  and  his  raiment  was  white  as  the  lig-ht."  Bv 
the  six  days  here  mentioned  we  are  to  understand  all  those  pre- 
paratory states  of  truth  in  the  understanding,  which  place  man 
in  the  capacity  of  seeing  and  discerning  the  interior  things  of 
heaven  and  the  church,  and  which  lead  him  to  the  good  of  life. 
For  by  numbers,  wherever  mentioned  in  the  Word,  are  signified 
the  qualities  of  tilings ;  and  by  the  number  si.v  the  quality  of  the 
church  as  to  it's  reception  of  divine  truth  in  the  understanding, 
previous  to  it's  being  fully  implanted  in  the  heart  or  life.  Thus 
the  six  days  denote  all  those  states  of  labour  and  temptation, 
which  man  undergoes  prior  to  his  full  regeneration,  and  before 
he  enters  into  that  state  of  peace  and  tranquillity,  represented 
by  the  seventh  day,  or  sabbath  of  rest.  The  same  is  signified  by 
the  six  days,  in  which  the  heavens  and  the  earth  were  created,  as 
being  introductory  to  t\\e  seventh,  in  which  Jehovah  rested  from 
all  his  labour. 

From  this  view  of  the  signification  of  the  number  sja*,  it  is  easy 
to  discern  the  reason  why  it  is  said,  that  after  six  days  Jesus 
taketh  Peter,  James,  and  John,  up  into  an  high  mountain,  and 
was  transfigured  before  them,  namely,  because  it  implies,  that 
after  regeneration  man  is  capable  not  only  of  discerning  the  spi- 
ritual sense  of  the  Word,  but  of  being  interiorly  affected  with  it, 
and  also  of  exercising  a  true  faith  in  the  Lord  as  the  only  God  of 
heaven  and  earth,  which  is  the  same  thing  as  beholding  him  in 
his  transfigured  or  Divine  Humanity. 

It  is  observable,  that  the  Evangelists  Matthew  and  Mark,  in  re- 
cording the  transfiguration  of  Jesus,  state  that  this  vision  took 
place  after  six  days,  while  Luke  describes  it  as  having  taken 
place  about  a7i  eight  days  after.    This  disagreement  in  the  literal 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  95 

sense,  if  it  can  be  called  sucli,  trifling  as  it  is,  entirely  vanishes 
when  we  view  the  subject  in  it's  spiritual  sense  :  for,  according 
to  that  sense,  the  number  eight  signifies  the  completion  of  a  for- 
mer state,  and  thereby  the  commencement  of  a  new  one.  Hence 
the  ceremony  of  circumcision  in  the  Jewish  church,  as  a  repre- 
sentative of  man's  purification  from  evil,  and  consequently  of  his 
new  spiritual  life,  was  appointed  to  be  performed  on  the  eighth 
day.  Thus,  notwithstanding  the  apparent  disagreement  between 
the  Evangelists,  they  are  found  perfectly  to  coincide  in  the  spi- 
ritual sense. 

Again  :  By  the  transfiguration  of  Jesus  before  his  disciples 
Peter,  James,  and  ,Tohn,  is  meant  the  manifestation  or  revelation 
of  the  Divinity  of  his  Humanity,  and  at  the  same  time  of  the 
internal  sense  of  his  Word,  to  all  those  who  are  principled  in 
faith,  charity,  and  a  good  life  ;  for  such  were  represented  by  Pe- 
ter, James,  and  John ;  and  such  only  are  capable  of  discerning 
and  receiving  the  divine  truths  contained  in  the  internal  sense 
of  the  Word.  Hence  the  Lord,  of  all  his  disciples  and  followerSj 
took  only  those  three  into  an  high  mountain  apart,  in  order  to 
manifest  his  glory  to  them. 

By  the  high  mountain,  into  which  they  were  taken,  is  signified 
iove  to  the  Lord,  and  also  charity  towards  the  neighbour;  for  it 
is  only  when  man  is  elevated  into  such  kind  of  spiritual  and  ce- 
lestial affection,  that  he  is  in  a  capacity  of  seeing,  understandings 
and  embracing  the  interior  things  of  heaven  and  the  church.  And 
as  this  affection  is  only  given  to  man  in  proportion  as  he  is  sepa- 
rated from  the  loves  of  self  and  of  the  world,  it  is  tlierefore  said, 
that  the  Lord  took  them  up  into  an  high  mountain  apart,  that  is, 
elevated  them  from  the  love  of  worldly  and  sensual  things,  to  the 
love  and  perception  of  things  heavenly  and  divine.  It  was  by 
reason  of  this  signification  of  a  mountain,  as  denoting  love,  and 
in  the  supreme  sense  divine  love,  that  the  Lord  so  often  betook 
himself  to  the  mount  of  Olives,  on  the  east  of  Jerusalem ;  that 
he  also  delivered  his  sermon  on  the  heavenly  beatitudes  on  a 
mountain;  and  that  Jehovah  gave  to  Moses  the  twa  tables  of 
testimony  upon  mount  Sinai :  not  to  mention  a  great  variety  of 
other  instances,  in  all  of  which  bv  mountain  is  signified  the  di- 


&6  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

vine  love  of  the  Lonl,  a3  extended  to  the  whole  of  the  human 
race. 

By  his  face  shining  as  the  sim,  is  also  meant  his  divine  mercy, 
clemency,  and  boundless  love,  is  discoverable  in  the  inmost  sense 
of  his  Word  :  and  by  his  raiment  being  white  as  the  light,  is  de- 
noted the  splendor  of  it's  divine  truth,  when  the  veil  of  the  let- 
ter is  removed,  and  it's  spiritual  contents  are  laid  open  to  the 
view. 

Such  is  the  result  of  our  inquiry  into  the  true  nature  of  our 
Lord's  transfiguration ;  a  case  not  at  all  applicable  to  any  mere 
man,  or  to  any  other  being,  than  to  that  One,  who  has  seen  fit  in 
his  divine  wisdom  to  veil  his  glory  for  a  time,  and  to  visit  his 
creatures  by  assuming  to  himself  a  frail  tabernacle  of  flesh,  like 
their  own,  that  he  might  the  more  effectually  bring  down  to  their 
ears  his  heavenly  lessons  of  instruction,  and  gradually  lead  them 
to  himself,  by  discovering  to  them,  as  they  were  able  to  bear  it, 
the  sanctity  of  his  Word,  and  the  divinit^  of  his  person.    In  each 
case  the  light  of  nature  alone  is  insufficient  to  give  us  that  full 
view  of  his  glory,  which  is  to  be  obtained  from  revelation,  but 
from  revelation  understood :  and  the  true  key  to  this  is  the  doc- 
trine  of  genuine  truth,  flowing  from  the  interiors  of  the  Word, 
and  thus  from  the  Lord  himself,  into  minds  duly  prepared  for  it's 
reception  by  the  love  and  by  the  practice  of  truth.     By  this  light 
we  shall  be  enabled  to  see  light,  (Psal.  xxxvi.  9.)  and  to  separate 
the  truth  from  error  :  we  shall  know  how  to  distinguish  between 
earthly  appearances,  and  heavenly  realities  :  between  the  infirm, 
material  body  of  Jesus,  and  the  Divine  Human  Form,  which  eter- 
nally shines  as  the  sun  of  righteousness  above.  In  short,  we  shall 
be  qualified  to  behold  his  glory,  and  in  spirit  to  enjoy  the  beatific 
vision  in  all  it's  dazzling  splendor.     And,  finally,  we  shall  expe- 
rience the  full  import  of  those  divine  words  in  Isaiah's  prophecy, 
"  The  sun  shall  be  no  more  thy  light  by  day,  neither  for  bright- 
"  ness  shall  the  moon  give  light  unto  thee  :  but  Jehovah  shall 
"  be  unto  thee  an  everlasting  light,  and  thy  God  thy  glory,^^ 
Isa. Ix.  19. 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  97 

[34.]  Matt.  xvii.  14  to  18»  "  And  when  they  were  come  to 
"  the  multitude,  there  came  to  him  a  certain  man,  kneeling  down 
"  to  him,  and  saying,  Lord,  have  mercy  on  my  son,  for  he  is  lunu' 
"  tic,  and  sore  vexed :  for  oft-times  he  falleth  into  the  fire,  and 
"  into  the  water.  And  I  brought  him  to  thy  disciples,  and  they 
"  could  not  cure  him.  Then  Jesus  answered  and  said,  0  faith- 
*'  less  and  perverse  generation,  how  long  shall  J  be  with  you? 
"  how  long  shall  I  suffer  you  .''  bring  him  hither  to  me.  And  Je- 
"  sus  rebuked  the  devil,  and  he  departed  out  of  him  :  and  the 
"  child  was  cured  from  that  very  houry  See  also  Mark  ix.  17" 
to  27.  Luke  ix.  37  to  42. 


To  whatever  cause  lunacy  in  the  present  day  may  be  ascribed, 
itplainl^  appears,  that  in  ancient  times  it  was  considered  as  the 
effect  of  the  presence  of  some  demon  or  unclean  spirit,  who,  tak- 
ing possession  of  the  mental  fticulties  of  the  patient,  and  at  the 
same  time  of  his  bodily  organs,  directed  his  action  and  speech  at 
pleasure.  In  the  case  before  us,  it  is  highly  probable,  that  the 
father  of  the  lunatic  had  already  made  trial  of  every  expedient, 
which  the  sagacity  of  man  could  suggest,  to  effect  a  cure ;  and 
had  found  all  the  aids  of  medicine  to  be  unavailable.  Hearins: 
then  of  the  extraordinary  character  of  Jesus,  and  having  faith  in 
his  ability  to  perform  whatsoever  he  was  pleased  to  undertake, 
he  came  to  him,  and  kneeling  down  before  him,  prayed  him  to 
have  mercy  on  his  son :  an  attitude  and  a  petition,  which  may 
well  be  supposed  to  imply,  on  the  part  of  the  suppliant,  a  full  con- 
viction, that  the  person,  whom  he  was  then  addressing,  was  actu- 
ally possessed  of  divine  powers.  This  confidence  in  the  omnipo- 
tence of  Jesus,  united  with  worship  and  prayer  directed  to  him, 
and  graciously  accepted  by  him,  was  therefore  instantly  reward- 
ed by  his  rebuking  the  devil,  who  was  the  cause  of  the  malady, 
and  causing  him  to  depart  out  of  the  child,  leaving  him  sound 
both  in  mind  and  body. 

The  Evangelist  Mark  observes,  that,  when  the  parent  of  the 
child  petitioned  Jesus  to  have  compassion  on  him,  and  to  help 
him,  he  said  unto  him,  "  If  thou  canst  believe^  (viz.  that  I  am 
"  able  to  help  and  to  heal,)  all  things  are  possible  to  him  that  be- 

N 


98  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

«  lieveth.  And  straightway  the  father  of  the  child  cried  out,  and 
"  said,  iorrf,  I  believe;  help  thou  mine  unbelief.  Whereupon 
"  Jesus  rebuked  the  foul  spirit,  saying  unto  him,  Thou  dumb 
"  and  deaf  spirit,  I  charge  thee,  come  out  of  him,  and  enter  no 
"  more  into  /tim,"  chap.  ix.  23  to  25.  > 

Such  an  instantaneous  cure,  performed  by  the  word  of  Jesus 
only,  and  by  his  own  authority,  most  evidently  distinguishes  him 
from  every  other  man,  and  is  calculated  to  excite  in  our  minda 
the  hi<^hest  idea  of  his  divine  person  .and  cliaracter.  Unlike  his 
disciples,  who  were  found  incapable  of  so  mighty  a  work  as 
the  instant  removal  of  confirmed  lunacy,  by  reason  of  their  want 
of  faith,  not  in  their  own  ability,  but  in  that  of  their  Divine  Mas- 
ter, in  whose  name  they  went  forth,  he,  conscious  of  his  own  in- 
nate  powers,  and  without  the  exercise  of  any  thing  like  faith  in 
another  being  out  of,  or  separate  from  himself,  most  authorita- 
tively charges  the  unclean  spirit  to  depart  out  of  the  child,  and 
never  more  to  enter  into  him.  Can  such  power  and  authority  as 
this  be  no  more  than  a  delegated  commission,  as  from  one  supe- 
rior being  to  another  of  inferior  order,  and  yet  be  exercised  with- 
out the  express  acknowledgment,  on  the  part  of  the  subordinate 
agent,  that  he  acted  merely  in  that  capacity?  Nay,  did  not  Jesus, 
wlien  he  was  called  upon  by  the  chief  priests  and  elders  of  the 
people  to  declare  by  what  authority  he  taught  and  acted,  plainly 
refuse  to  tell  them,  and  thus  virtually  announce,  that  it  was  not 
derived  from  any  other,  but  originated  icithin  himself?  Surely 
his  meaning  cannot  be  mistaken,  if  we  attend  to  the  circum- 
stances of  the  case,  as  described  in  Matt.  xxi.  23  to  27.  Mark  xi. 
27  to  33.  Luke  xx.  1  to  8. 

On  the  other  hand,  his  disciples  and  apostles  uniformly  refer- 
red all  their  ability  and  success  to  Jesus  ;  never  for  a  moment 
claiming  to  themselves  the  merit,  wliich  exclusively  belonged  to 
him.  Peter  and  John  healed  the  lame  man  at  the  gate  of  the  tem- 
ple, in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  of  JVazareth,  Acts  iii.  6;  and 
earnestly  cautioned  the  people,  who  were  tilled  with  amazement 
at  what  had  happened,  not  to  ascribe  the  cure  to  any  power  or 
holiness  of  their's,  but  solely  to  the  name  of  Jesus,  and  to  faith 
in  that  name,  ver.  12  to  16:  chap.  iv.  7  to  10.     Philip  also  per- 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  99 

formed  miracles  in  the  name  0/ Jesus,  Acts  viii.  5  to  7,  12.  Pe- 
ter cured  a  man  at  Ljdda,  named  Eneas,  who  had  kept  his  bed 
eight  years  with  the  palsj,  by  saying  to  him,  "Jesus  Christ 
"  maketh  thee  ichole :  arise,  and  make  tliy  bed,"  Acts  ix.  33,  34. 
Paul,  in  company  with  Barnabas,  preached  the  gospel  at  Lystra, 
and  healed  a  cripple  there,  but  referred  all  the  honour  to  the 
living  God,  Acts  xiv.  8  to  18.  The  same  apostle,  in  the  name  of 
Jesus  Christ,  cast  out  of  a  young  damsel  a  spirit  of  divination, 
Acts  xvi.  18.  Likewise  the  seventy  apostles,  after  being  sent  out 
by  Jesus  to  preach  the  gospel,  "  returned  again  with  joy,  saying, 
"  Lord,  even  the  devils  are  subject  unto  us  through  thy  name,-^ 
Luke  X.  IT. 

In  short,  nothing  is  more  evident,  than  that  Jesus  acted  by  his 
own  authority,  (Matt.  vii.  29.)  underived  from  any  being  supe- 
rior to,  or  different  from,  himself;  while,  on  the  contrary,  his 
disciples  and  apostles  performed  all  their  works  in  the  name,  and 
by  the  sole  power  and  authority,  of  him  their  Lord  and  Master. 


[35.]  Matt.  xvii.  24  to  27.  "  And  when  they  were  come  tu 
"  Capernaum,  they  that  received  tribute-money  came  to  Peter, 
"  and  said.  Doth  not  your  Master  pay  tribute  ?  He  saith.  Yes. 
"  And  when  he  was  come  into  tiie  house,  Jesus  jjrevented  him, 
"  saying.  What  thinkest  thou,  Simon  }  of  whom  do  the  kings  of 
"  the  earth  take  custom  or  tribute  ?  of  tlieir  own  children,  or  of 
"  strangers.-^  Peter  saith  unto  him.  Of  strangers.  Jesus  saith 
"  unto  him,  Then  are  the  children  free.  Nothwithstanding,  lest 
"  we  should  oftend  them,  go  thou  to  the  sea,  and  cast  an  hook, 
*'  and  take  up  the  fish  that  first  cometh  up  ;  and  when  thou  hast 
"  opened  his  mouth,  thou  shalt  find  a  piece  of  money :  that  take, 
"  and  give  unto  them  for  me  and  thee." 


Two  examples  of  supernatural  knowledge  are  here  related  of  Je- 
sus :  the  first,  that  of  his  anticipating  the  thoughts  of  Peter  before 
he  began  to  speak,  shewing  that  he  was  privy  to  the  conversation 
which  had   passed  between  him  and  the  collectors  of  tribute, 


100  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

though  not  in  the  personal  presence  or  lieaiing  of  Jesus;  and 
the  second,  that  of  his  directing  hiin  wliere  to  find  a  piece  of  mo- 
ney, namely,  in  the  mouth  of  the  first  fish  which  he  should  draw 
up  out  of  the  sea.  We  have  already  offered  a  few  considerations 
on  the  extraordinary  circumstance  of  his  knowing  the  thoughts  of 
men  ;  a  faculty,  which  in  a  peculiar  manner  distinguishes  the 
character  of  Jesus.  When  Peter  came  into  the  house,  where 
Jesus  was,  apparently  with  the  intention  of  informing  his  Mas- 
ter, that  the  collectors  had  applied  to  him  for  the  tribute-money 
due  to  the  state,  Jesus,  without  waiting  for  such  information,  im- 
mediately prevented  him,  that  is,  anticipated  all  that  he  had  to 
say,  and  introduced  the  subject  matter  of  his  thouglits,  by  putting 
the  following  question  :  "  What  thinkest  thou,  Simon  ?  of  whom 
"  do  the  kings  of  tlie  earth  take  custom  or  tribute  }  of  their  own 
"  children,  or  of  strangers  .^"  On  hearing  such  a  question,  at  the 
very  moment  when  perhaps  the  same  reflections  were  passing  in 
his  own  mind,  how  must  the  faith  of  Peter  in  his  Divine  Master 
have  been  increased  and  confirmed  !  But  when  afterwards,  in 
obedience  to  his  command,  he  went  to  the  sea,  and  found,  as 
foretold,  in  the  mouth  of  the  first-caught  fish  .a  piece  of  money 
sufficient  to  satisfy  the  claims  of  the  civil  power,  with  what  asto- 
nishment must  he  have  contemplated  the  whole  transaction! 

Such  repeated  proofs  of  supernatural  knowledge,  extending  not 
only  to  the  thouglits  of  the  human  heart,  bat  even  to  the  cham- 
bers of  the  great  deep,  and  the  hidden  localities  of  nature,  must 
have  impressed  upon  the  mind  of  Peter  a  conviction  of  the  divine 
omniscience  of  his  Lord,  And  nothing  less,  even  at  this  distance 
of  time,  can  be  the  legitimate  result  of  an  impartial  review  of  the 
case,  than  a  similar  conviction  wrought  on  the  mind  of  every  true 
believer  in  the  Christian  revelation. 

It  is  in  this  way  that  the  proof  of  the  Divinity  of  our  Saviour 
is  incontcstably  established.  The  divine  attributes  and  perfec- 
tions are  all  found  to  exist  in  him.  Sometimes  one,  and  some- 
times another,  is  distinctly  exhibited  to  view ;  and  occasionally 
the  full  assemblage  of  his  glories  beams  in  his  Word.  But  rea- 
son and  revelation  both  dictate,  that  wherever  one  divine  proper- 
ty, attribute,  or  perfection,  is  plainly   discoverable,  there  of  ne- 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  101 

cessity  must  every  other  character  of  Deity  be  concentrated  and 
united,  however  latent  or  unperceived  may  be  their  operation  and 
activity.  And  hence,  by  every  rule  of  genuine  deduction,  we 
are  led  to  conclude,  that,  as  in  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus 
CnftisT  has  been  found  some  one  or  more  of  the  acknowledged 
characters  of  Divinity,  so  in  him  also  must  the  fulness  or  totality 
of  the  Godhead  essentially  reside,  by  reason  of  the  perfect  unity 
and  absolute  indivisibility  of  it's  nature. 


[3G.]  Matt,  xviii.  19.    "  Where  two  or  three  are  gathered  to- 
"gether  in  my  name,  there  am  Tin  the  midst  of  them.^^ 


Here  again  a  divine  attribute  is  expressly  claimed  by  Jesus, 
namely,  that  of  omnipresence :  for  on  no  other  principle  can  his 
words  have  application  to  his  disciples  and  followers,  that  is,  to  his 
church,  in  all  nations,  and  in  all  ages.  With  a  view  to  the  pro- 
mulgation of  this  doctrine,  he  also  said  unto  them,  just  previous 
to  his  ascension  into  heaven,  "  Lo,  /  am  icith  you  always  even 
"  unto  the  end  of  the  world,"  or,  as  it  should  have  been  render- 
ed, "  even  unto  the  consummation  of  the  age,"  Matt,  xxviii.  20. 
And  in  another  place  he  declares,  that  the  Spirit  of  truth,  whicli 
is  the  divine  proceeding  from  himself,  and  therefore  in  this  re- 
spect the  same  as  himself,  dwelleth  with^  and  will  be  in  his  dis- 
ciples, John  xiv.  17,  18.  More  evident  proof  of  his  divine  omni- 
presence cannot  be  given  ;  and,  one  would  think,  can  scarcely  be 
required  even  by  an  infidel. 

Language  similar  to  that  of  the  Evangelists  is  also  adopted  bv 
the  Prophets,  when  they  describe  the  presence  of  Jehovah  in 
the  midst  of  his  people.  "  Great  is  the  Holy  One  of  Israel  in 
"  the  midst  of  thee,''^  Isa.  xii.  6.  "  I  am  God,  and  not  man,  the 
"  Holy  One  in  the  midst  of  thee,''''  Hos.  xi.  9.  "  The  King  of 
"  Israel,  even  Jehovah,  is  in  the  midst  of  thee,''^  Zeph.  iii.  15. 
«  Sing  and  rejoice,  O  daughter  of  Zion  ;  for  lo,  I  come,  and  I 
«  will  dwell  in  the  midst  of  thee,  saith  Jehovah,"  Zech.  ii.  10. 


10^  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

From  the  strong  resemblance,  which  exists  between  the  descrip- 
tion given  in  the  Old  Testament,  of  the  perpetual  presence  and 
habitation  of  Jehovah  in  and  among  his  people,  and  that  given 
in  the  New,  of  the  equally  perpetual  presence  of  Jesus  in  the 
midst  of  his  disciples,  or  church ;  how  plain  is  it  to  perceive, 
that  by  both  names  is  meant  one  and  the  same  Divine  Being,  one 
and  the  same  eternal  and  omnipresent  God  ;  who  is  first  distin- 
guished as  to  his  divine  essence  hy  the  sacred  name  Jehovah, 
and  tlien  as  to  his  divine  form  by  the  no  less  sacred  and  adorable 
name  Jesus  ! 

Numerous  are  the  instances  of  a  similar  nature  in  tlie  Holy 
Word,  where  characters  proper  to  Divinity  are  also  ascribed  to 
Humanity,  but  to  Humanity  glorified,  or  in  a  state  of  union  with 
Divinity.  And  as  such  union  took  place  only  in  the  person  of 
Jesus  Christ,  it  is  on  tliis  account  so  frequently  and  distinctly 
repeated.  That  the  Father  is  in  him,  and  he  in  the  Father.  That 
all  things,  whicli  t'le  Fatlier  hath,  are  his.  That  he  and  the  Fa- 
ther are  One.  That  whosoever  seeth,  believeth,  and  honoureth 
the  Son,  seeth,  believeth,  and  honoureth  the  Father  also.  That 
he,  who  believeth  not  the  Son,  shall  not  see  life ;  because  the  re- 
jection or  denial  of  the  Son,  which  is  the  divine  form,  implies  the 
rejection  or  denial  of  the  Father,  which  is  the  divine  essence. 
That  whatsoever  things  the  Father  doth,  these  also  dotli  the  Son 
likewise.  That  as  the  Father,  the  Divinity,  or  the  purely  divine 
essence,  hath  life  in  himself ;  so  hath  he  given  to  the  Son,  to  the 
Humanity,  or  to  the  divine  form,  to  have  life  in  himself ;  both  to- 
gether thus  constituting  the  one  only  fountain  and  source  of  all 
life  and  being.  That  all  power  is  given  unto  Jesus  both  in  hea- 
ven and  in  earth ;  by  which  we  are  to  understand,  that  all  the 
powers  of  Divinity  are  exercised  by  the  Humanity  glorified. 
That  no  one  cometh  unto  the  Father,  but  by  or  through  the  Son  ; 
just  as  no  one  can  discover  or  perceive  an  essence,  but  in  and  by 
means  of  it's  form  ;  or  as  no  one  can  have  access  to  the  soul  or 
mind  of  another,  but  by  approaching  his  body,  wherein  alone  it 
resides.  That  tlie  Son,  or  the  Humanity,  doth  nothing  of  itself, 
«r  separately  from  the  Divinity  j  but  both  the  Father  and  the  Son 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  103 

together,  that  is,  the  Divinity  and  the  Humanity  united,  perform 
all  the  great  works  of  redemption  and  salvation.  That  virhoso- 
ever  entereth  not  by  the  door  into  the  sheep-fold,  that  is,  by  the 
Humanity,  which  is  the  door  or  medium  of  access,  into  the 
church,  and  so  to  the  Father,  but  climbeth  up  some  other  way,  as 
by  attempting  to  worship  the  Father,  or  Divinity,  out  of  or  above 
the  Son,  or  Humanity,  the  same  is  a  thief  and  a  robber;  because 
such  an  one  denies  to  Jesus,  or  the  Humanity,  those  divine 
honours  which  exclusively  belong  to  him,  as  being  the  very  form 
of  the  divine  essence,  or  the  only  Object,  in  whom  the  divine  at- 
tributes and  perfections  can  be  rationally  contemplated  and  ador- 
ed. That  the  sheep,  or  members  of  the  church,  are  equally  in 
the  hand  of  Jesus,  and  of  the  Father  ;  and  that  no  invading 
power  can  possibly  injure  or  remove  tliem  :  implying,  that  the 
protection  and  security  of  all  who  are  saved  depends  entirely  on 
the  Omnipotence  of  the  Lord's  Divine  Humanity,  which  is  also 
called  in  Scripture  the  very  Arvi  of  Jehovah,  Isa.  liii.  1.  John 
xii.  38.  That  a  saving  faith  is  not  a  faith  in  the  Humanity  of 
Jesus  separate  from  his  Divinity,  no,  nor  in  his  Divinity  sepa- 
rate from  his  Humanity,  but  a  faith  in  both  united,  as  directed  to 
One  God  in  One  Divine  Human  Form.  That  it  is  therefore  alike 
necessary  and  essentially  requisite  to  salvation  and  eternal  life, 
that  a  man  believe  in  Jesus  and  in  Jehovah,  that  is  to  say,  in 
ihe  Son  as  well  as  in  the  Father,  in  the  divine  form  as  well  as  iu 
the  divine  essence,  or  in  the  Humanity  as  well  as  in  the  Divini- 
ty :  for  by  thus  uniting  in  our  minds  Divinity  with  Humanity,  the 
Father  is  glorified  in  the  Son,  and  the  Son  also  with  the  Father; 
80  that  both  together,  the  Father  and  the  Son,  the  Divinity  and 
the  Humanity,  Jehovah  and  Jesus,  constitute  only  one  and  the 
same  adorable  God,  the  single  Object  of  worship  to  angels  in  hea- 
ven, and  men  upon  earth. 


[i7.']  Matt.  xix.  16  to  22.  "  And  behold,  one  came  and  said 
'*unto  him.  Good  Master,  what  good  thing  shall  I  do,  that  I 
^  may  have  eternal  life  }  And  he  said  unto  him,  Why  callest  thou 


104  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

"  me  good?  there  is  none  good  but  one,  that  is,  God  :  but  if  thou 
"  wilt  enter  into  life,  keep  the  commandments.  He  saith  unto 
"  him,  Which  ?  Jesus  said,  Thou  shalt  do  no  murder  ;  thou  shalt 
"  not  commit  adultery  ;  thou  shalt  not  steal ;  thou  shalt  not  bear 
"  false  witness ;  honour  thy  father  and  thy  mother ;  and,  thou 
"  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself.  The  young  man  saith  unto 
"  him,  All  these  things  have  I  kept  from  my  youth  up  :  what  lack 
'••I  yet?  Jesus  said  unto  him,  //  thou  wilt  be  perfect,  go  and  sell 
"  that  thou  hast,  and  give  to  the  poor,  and  thou  shalt  have  trea- 
»'  sure  in  heaven  :  and  come  and  fulloiv  Me.  But  when  the  young 
"  man  heard  that  saying,  he  went  away  sorrowful :  for  he  had 
"great  possessions.*'  See  also  Mark  x.  17  to  22.  Luke  xviii.  18 
to  23. 


This  passage  is  selected  for  observation  on  two  accounts.  The 
first  is,  because  it  has  been  most  improperly  understood  by  some 
to  imply  a  refusal,  on  the  part  of  Jesus,  to  receive  the  appella- 
tion of  Good  Master,  and  his  desire  to  refer  all  goodness  to  the 
one  God  as  to  another  Being  superior  to,  and  distinct  from  him- 
self: for  it  is  observed,  that  when  the  young  man  said  unto  him, 
"  Good  Master,  what  good  thing  shall  I  do,  that  I  may  have  eter- 
"  nal  life  ?  Jesus  answered  him  by  first  saying,  JVhy  callest  thou 
"me  good,  since  there  is  none  good  but  the  one  God?^^  The  se- 
cond reason  is,  because  the  whole  passage,  when  duly  considered, 
furnit>hes  a  most  striking  evidence  in  favour  of  the  exclusive  di- 
tinity  of  Jesus,  and  demonstrates,  that  he  himself  was  tliat  iden- 
tical God,  to  whom  he  alluded,  as  being  the  One  Sole  and  Su- 
preme Good. 

From  the  character  given  of  the  young  man  it  appears,  that  he 
had  been  piously  educated,  and  had  lived  at  least  in  external 
obedience  to  the  divine  precepts  above  enumerated.  Conceiv- 
ing, no  doubt,  that  his  future  salvation  depended  on  the  strict 
observance  of  the  duties  of  moral  and  civil  life,  he  looks  with 
complacency  on  his  own  conduct  as  a  religious  character,  and  in 
the  pride  of  self-righteousness  exclaims, "  All  these  things  have  T 
•'kept  from  my  youth  up  :  tvhat  lack  J  yet?"  To  whom  Jesus 
replied.  "  Jf  thou  wilt  he  perfect^  that  is,  if  thou  wilt  be  cum- 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  105 

."  pletely  regenerated  both  internally  and  externally,  in  heart  and 
**  in  life,  then  the  follovvin<;  most  essential  conditions  of  the  new 
*'  life  must  be  observed,  in  addition  to  all  the  preceding  states  of 
*'  reformation.  Go  and  sell  that  thou  hast,  and  ^ive  to  the  poor  ; 
"  that  is,  remove  Worn  thy  mind  every  idea  of  thy  own  merit, 
"•  every  inordinate  affection  of  self'-love  and  the  love  of  the  world, 
"  and  from,a  principle  of  pure  charity  and  disinterested  benevo- 
*'  lence  communicate  to  others  of  those  spiritual  riches,  which 
"  thou  hast  already  acquired  :  so  shalt  thou  be  prepared  for  the 
"  further  and  more  interior  reception  of  divine  truths,  and  tHhs 
"  lay  up  for  thyself  treasure  in  heaven.  But,  above  a\\,,come  and 
*' follow  Mk  ;  that  is,  acknowledge  Me  to  be  the  Supreme 
"  Good,  the  only  giver  of  every  perfect  gift :  look  up  to  Me  foi* 
"  ability  and  grace  to  renounce  thy  evils  :  expoct  from  my  hands 
"  all  that  thou  hast  been  taught  to  pray  for  from  a  God  of  mercy 
•'  and  compassion  :  and  finally,  in  my  person  behold  the  true  Ob- 
••  ject  of  t]\j  faith,  thy  love,  and  thy  adoration.  This  therefore 
*"  is  tliat  one  thing,  that  pearl  of  great  price,  which  thou  still 
"  lackest,  and  without  whicli  thou  art  in  reality  poor  and  misera- 
^'  ble,  notwithstanding  all  the  riches,  all  tlie  science,  which  thou 
•'  hast  treasured  up  in  thy  head  or  thy  memory." 

With  respect  to  the  circumstance  of  our  Lord's  putting  tlie 
question,  "  Jfhy  callest  thou  me  good  .^"  from  which  the  Unita- 
rians have  rashly  and  most  unjustifiably  inferred,  that  he  refused 
the  title,  on  the  ground  that  it  belonged  not  to  him,  as  being  a 
mere  man,  but  to  another,  who  is  God  ;  we  have  to  observe,  that 
it  might  be  sufiicient  to  repel  one  assertion  by  opposing  to  it  an- 
other, which  would  still  leave  the  matter  to  be  decided  by  scrip- 
tural evidence  and  rational  argument.  Thus,  while  Unitarians 
assert,  that  Jesus  refused  the  title  of  Good  Master,  we  assert, 
that  he  claimed  it.  So  far,  therefore,  nothing  is  gained  on  either 
side ;  and  the  question  between  us  remains  in  a  state  of  equili- 
brium, just  as  before.  Only  it  is  observable,  that  the  Unitarian 
forms  his  judgment,  and  draws  his  conclusion,  from  the  mere 
exordium,  or  introductory  proposition  laid  down  by  Jesus  in  the 
double  form  of  a  question  relative  to  himself,  and  an  a.viom  rela- 
tive to  Deity;  and  this  he  does  without  paying  the  smallest  at- 

O 


106  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

tention  to  the  tenour  of  the  argument  that  follows,  and  especial- 
ly to  it's  final  result,  when  Jesus  holds  up  Himself  alojie  as  the 
Object  to  be  loved,  approached,  and  followed.  By  the  same  rule 
he  might  also  infer,  that  Jesus  refused  the  title  of  Lord,  when 
he  said  to  his  disciples,  "  Why  call  ye  me  Lord,  Lord,  and  do 
not  the  things  which  I  say  ?"  Luke  vi.  46.  AVhereas,  on  the 
contrary,  we  conceive  it  our  duty  to  listen  with  attention  to  the 
proposition,  the  argument,  and  the  conclusion,  as  knowing  that 
there  must  be  a  depth,  yea  an  infinity  of  wisdom  contained  in 
every  word  and  every  sentiment  uttered  by  the  mouth  of  Jesus. 
And  by  so  doing,  and  at  tiie  same  time  by  comparing  his  words  in 
one  place  with  his  words  in  another  place,  we  gain  a  clear,  correct, 
and  most  satisfactory  evidence  in  proof  not  only  that  he  is  our  Lord 
and  Master,  as  he  is  universally  acknowledged  to  be,  but  that  he 
is  also  a  Good  Lord, and  a  Good  Master,  notwithstanding  the  ingra- 
titude of  those,  who  refuse  to  hail  him  with  so  divine  a  title. 

When  our  Lord  says,  "  Why  callest  thou  vie  good?  there  is 
<'  none  good  but  one,  that  is,  God  ,•"  so  far  is  he  from  refusing  the 
title  of  Good  Master,  or  reproving  the  young  man  for  conferring 
it  upon  him,  or  in  any  way  whatever  objecting  to  be  so  honoured, 
or  even  to  be  esteemed  as  the  One  Good  God  himself,  that  he 
plainly  admits  it,  particularly  at  the  conclusion  of  his  conversa- 
tion with  him,  when,  instead  of  directing  him  to  any  other  being, 
he  openly  invites  him  to  Himself  alone.  The  design  of  Jesus, 
therefore,  in  putting  the  question  at  first,  evidently  appears  to  be, 
to  suggest  to  the  young  man  an  inquiry  into,  and  an  e.vamination 
of,  the  grounds  upon  which  he  makes  his  confession  and  acknow- 
ledgment of  Jesus  as  being;  a  Good  Master  :  whether  it  be  merc- 
ly  from  an  external  consideration  of  the  respect,  which  is  due 
trom  one  man  to  another ;  or  whether  it  originate  in  any  higlier 
or  more  interior  sentiment  of  faith  as  directed  towards  the  per- 
son and  character  of  the  Lord  ;  in  order  that  from  a  blind,  un- 
meaning confession  of  the  lips,  he  might  gi-adually,  and  by  a  ra- 
tional conviction  in  his  own  mind,  be  brought  to  see  and  acknow- 
ledge Jesus  himself  as  the  fountain  of  all  good,  and  conse- 
quently as  the  One  God,  to  whom  alone  tlie  title  of  Good  Mas- 
ter belongs. 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  107 

That  Jesus  approved  of  the  title  Master,  which  was  given  him 
by  his  disciples,  is  plain  from  John  xiii.  13,  where  he  says  to 
them,  "  Ye  call  me  Master,  and  Lord  ;  and  ye  say  well ;  for  so 
"  lam.''''  That  he  also  claimed  to  himself  the  epithet  Good,  is 
equally  plain  from  John  x.  11,  14:  "I  am,"  (says  he)  "the 
"  Good  Shepherd."  Now  if  the  term  Good  justly  and  truly  be- 
long to  Jesus  as  the  Shepherd  of  his  sheep,  surely  it  may  with 
equal  propriety  be  applied  to  him  as  the  Master  of  his  disciples : 
for  the  character  of  Good  Shepherd  is  no  less  divine,  than  that  of 
Good  Master.  In  the  one  case  he  assumes  to  himself  a  title, 
which  avowedly  characterizes  the  great  Jehovah,  Ps.  xxiii.  1; 
Isa.  xl.  11 ;  Ezek.  xxxiv.  11:  and  in  the  other  case  he  refuses  not 
a  name  of  similar,  perhaps  of  minor  import,  but  only  urges  the 
expediency  of  acknowledging  and  making  confession  of  his  good- 
ness with  the  heart  and  understanding,  as  well  as  with  the  mouth 
and  tongue ;  and  at  last  takes  up  the  entire  character,  by  saying, 
"  Come  and  follow  Me,^'  He  moreover,  in  John  x.  28,  says,  that 
"  He  gives  eternal  life  to  his  sheep."  Now  eternal  life  is  a  ^ood, 
and  a  great  good  too ;  and  Jesus  must  be  possessed  of  it,  $)efore 
he  can  give  it  to  others.  It  follows,  therefore,  that  he  himself 
must  be  good,  and  good  in  the  highest  sense  of  the  word,  that  is, 
Divine  Good:  and  if  so,  he  must  be  God,  and  the  very  God  he 
meant,  when  he  said,  "  There  is  none  good  but  One,  that  is, 
«  God." 

It  is  a  remarkable  circumstance,  that,  when  the  young  man  de* 
sired  to  know  which  of  the  commandments  were  necessary  to  be 
kept,  in  order  to  his  entering  into  life,  Jesus  enumerated  such  as 
have  respect  to  charity,  or  the  love  of  his  neighbour,  that  is  to  say, 
seven  out  of  the  ten;  (two  being  included  under  one  head;)  and 
omitted  those  which  have  more  immediate  reference  to  the  ivoT' 
ship  of  God,  the  veneration  of  his  name,  and  the  sanctity  of  tlie 
sabbath :  but  particularly  it  is  observable,  that  he  made  no  men- 
tion of  the  first,  which  yet  in  another  place  he  calls  the  great 
commandment,  Matt.  xxii.  38.  Was  this  through  accident,  or  de- 
sign ?  The  former  it  could  not  be,  in  a  work  the  production  of 
Infinite  Wisdom,  as  every  genuine  book  of  divine  revelation  most 
certainly  is.     It  must  therefore  have  been  through  design  of  the 


108  A  SEAL  UPON  THK  LIPS  OF 

great  Speaker  himself,  who,  at  the  close  of  the  interview  and 
conversation  with  the  young  man,  directs  him  to  Himself,  as  the 
only  Object  by  and  from  whom  his  spiritual  wants  could  be  sup- 
plied, and  his  worship  and  life  be  made  perfect.  "  Come,  and 
**  follow  Me  J'  This  is  the  key  to  all  that  precedes  :  it  supplies 
what  might  otherwise  be  considered  as  a  defect  in  the  enumera- 
tion, which  Jesus  made,  of  the  divine  precepts;  and  thus  it  truly 
becomes,  what  he  intended  it  to  be,  the  first,  the  Za^V-^nd  the 
^reai  commandment.  For  in  a})proaclnn!;-,  and  in  life  following 
Jesus,  we  actually  acknowledge  and  worship  him  as  tlie  Great 
Jehovah  God  in  Human  Form;  we  venerate  and  glorify  his 
name,  his  person,  and  his  character;  and  at  the  same  time  we 
perceive  and  confess,  that  the  perfect  union  of  Divinity  and  Hu- 
manity in  Him  alone  is  itself  the  sum,  the  source,  and  the  morn- 
ing of  that  everlasting  sabbath  of  rest,  into  which  all,  who  thus 
honour,  love,  and  serve  him,  will  infallibly  enter,  when  the  toils 
(ind  tempests  attending  their  regeneration  are  completely  at  an 
end. 

Such  appears  to  be  the  genuine  sense  of  the  passage,  fiom 
which  the  following  great  truths  are  plainly  dcducible,  namely, 
1.  Tliat  it  is  not  sufficient  to  live  a  civil,  a  moral,  or  even  what  is 
called  a  religious  life, by  conforming  externally  to  the  divine  com- 
mands, and  by  directing  our  worship  to  an  invisible  God  t!ie 
Creator  of  the  universe,  of  whom  no  rational  or  determinate  a  iew 
can  be  formed  in  the  mind  :  for  in  all  probability  the  young  man, 
spoken  of  above,  in  common  with  the  Pharisees,  and  other  high 
professors  of  theolog}',  had  long  been  in  the  habit  of  so  living, 
and  of  so  worshipping.  But,  2.  That  it  is  of  all  things  most  es- 
sentially requisite  to  acknowledge  the  Saviour  himself,  Jesus 
Christ,  as  the  alone  wise  and  merciful  God,  from  whom  is  to  be 
derived  every  thing  spiritual,  holy,  and  divine,  which  is  capable 
of  exalting  the  mind  of  man,  or  of  blessing  him  witii  a  happv  im- 
mortality. And  therefore,  3.  That  he  alone  is  to  be  worshipped, 
both  in  heart  and  in  life,  as  the  Supkemk  Good  brought  down 
from  heaven  to  earth,  as  the  great  Sovereign  of  the  universe  ma- 
nifested in  the  flesh,  and  thus  made  known  to  his  creatures  as 
their  Parent,  Protector,  and  everlasting  Salvation. 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  Sec.  109 

In  confiimation  of  this  view  of  the  subject,  let  us  further  at- 
tend to  what  the  Lord  says  on  another  occasion,  as  described  by 
the  Evangelist  Mark.  "  One  of  the  scribes  came,  and  asked, 
"  Which  is  the  first  commandment  of  all  ?  And  Jesus  ansvi^ered. 
"  him,  The  first  of  all  the  commandments  is,  Hear,  O  Israel,  the 
"  Lord  our  God  is  one  Lord  ;  and  thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy 
"  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  witli  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy 
"  mind, and  with  all  thy  strength:  this  is  the  first  commandment. 
"  And  the  second  is  like,  namely  this.  Thou  shalt  love  thy 
"  neighbour  as  thyself:  there  is  none  other  commandment  greater 
"  than  these.  And  the  scribe  said  unto  him,  Well,  Master,  thou 
"  hast  said  the  truth :  for  there  is  one  God,  and  there  is  none 
"  other  but  he.  And  to  love  him  with  all  the  heart,  and  with  all 
"  the  understanding,  and  with  all  the  soul,  and  with  all  the 
"  strength,  and  to  love  his  neighbour  as  himself,  is  more  than  all 
"  whole  burnt-offerings  and  sacrifices.  And  when  Jesus  saw 
•'  that  he  answered  discreetly,  he  said  unto  him.  Thou  art  not 
^^  far  from  the  kingdom  of  God.^'     Mark  xii.  28  to  34. 

The  kingdom  of  God  upon  earth  is  the  true  Christian  church, 
or  the  true  Christian  religion.  Now  from  tlie  whole  of  the  case 
here  quoted  it  is  plain,  that  to  acknowledge  and  worship  One 
God,  without  knowing  icho  is  that  God,  and  at  the  same  time  to 
love  our  neighbour  even  in  the  manner  stated  by  the  scribe,  does 
not  actually  place  the  man  so  worshipping  and  so  living  within 
the  heavenly  kingdom  in  the  sense  above  described,  but  only  near 
unto  it :  for  our  Lord  said  to  the  scribe,  "  Thou  art  not  far  from 
"  the  kingdom  of  God." 

The  doctrine  here  inculcated  is  similar  to  that  taudit  in  Matt. 
xix.  16  to  22,  where,  as  already  noticed,  the  young  man,  who 
had  desired  to  know  Vv'hat  he  should  do  to  inherit  eternal  life,  re- 
marks, that  he  had  observed  from  his  youth  the  various  com- 
mandments there  enumerated;  to  whom  Jesus  answered,  that 
he  still  lacked  one  thing,  and  if  he  would  be  perfect,  or  become 
a  full  recipient  of  the  heavenly  life,  he  must  sell  what  he  had,  re- 
nounce his  own  proprium  or  self-will,  take  up  his  cross,  and  fol- 
loiv  him.  In  like  manner,  from  the  present  passage  it  appears, 
that  it  is  not  quite  enough  to  worship  or  to  love  One  God,  if  that 


110  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

God  be  an  invisible,  and  consequently  an  inaccessible  one,  be- 
cause worship  or  love  cannot  properly  be  directed  to  such  a  God: 
neither  is  it  quite  enough  for  a  man  to  love  his  neighbour  as 
himself,  unless  this  love  be  acknowledged  to  be  derived  from 
love  to  the  true  God.  And  therefore  the  only  thing  required  of 
one,  who  thus  ignorantly,  but  perhaps  sincerely,  worships,  "  he 
"  knoivs  not  ichat,-^  John  iv.  22,  is,  that  he  perceive,  acknow- 
ledge, and  adore  a  visible  and  accessible  God  in  the  person  of 
Jesus  Christ;  that,  instead  of  addressing  any  longer  an  invisi- 
ble Being,  with  whom  no  sensible,  no  real  conjunction  can  be 
formed,  he  immediately  approach  a  God  visible  to  the  mental  eye, 
and  capable  of  being  embraced  by  the  affections  of  the  heart. 
Then  truly  it  will  be  found,  that,  instead  of  standing  ivithout,  or 
only  near  to  the  heavenly  kingdom,  he  will  be  actually  introduced 
with  joy  and  gladness  into  thehappy  land  itself,  and  pass  through 
the  gates  into  the  very  heart  of  the  new  city,  where  is  the  habita- 
tion and  the  temple  of  our  God. 

That  this  doctrine,  however,  concerning  the  Lord,  will  not 
easily  be  admitted  by  those,  who  imagine  themselves  already  in 
the  enjoyment  of  great  possessions,  or  sufficiently  versed  in  the 
knowledge  of  spiritual  things ;  but  that  they  will,  like  the  young 
man,  turn  away  from  it  in  sadness  or  disgust ;  is  nothing  more 
than  may  be  expected.  For  the  character  of  all  such  being  en- 
graven on  the  page  of  truth,  their  reluctance  to  acknowledge  the 
sole  divinity  of  the  Lord,  and  to  receive  him,  not  merely  as  a 
prophet  or  messenger  deputed  to  make  known  the  will  of  ano- 
ther, but  as  the  Supreme  God  himself  incarnate,  still  contributes 
to  confirm  the  testimony  of  revelation,  and  to  bring  it's  predic- 
tions into  actual  accomplishment.  No  denial,  therefore,  of  the 
great  doctrine  here  advanced,  whether  it  be  on  the  part  of  estab- 
lished churches,  of  congregated  societies,  or  of  individual  secta- 
ries, can  ever  invalidate  or  weaken  it's  autliority :  for  being  in 
itself  a  divine  and  holy  truth,  founded  on  the  Sacred  Scriptures, 
and  confirmed  by  them  as  their  first,  their  last,  and  most  essen- 
tial feature,  it  forms  the  great  corner-stone  of  the  true  Christian 
temple,  and  must  remain  to  eternity  the  crown  and  the  glory  of 
revealed  religion. 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIAN'S,  &c.  HI 

[38.]  Matt.  XX.  30  to  34.  "  And  behold,  two  blind  men  sit- 
"  ting  by  the  way  side,  when  they  heard  that  Jesus  passed  by, 
*'  cried  out,  saying,  Have  mercy  on  us,  O  Lord,  thou  Son  of  Da- 
"  vid.  And  the  multitude  rebuked  them,  because  they  should 
"  hold  their  peace  :  but  they  cried  the  more,  saying.  Have  mercy 
"  on  us,  0  Lord,  thou  Son  of  David.  And  Jesus  stood  still,  and 
"  called  them,  and  said.  What  will  ye  that  I  shall  do  unto  you? 
"  They  say  unto  him.  Lord,  that  our  eyes  may  be  opened.  So 
*♦  Jesus  had  compassion  on  them,  and  touched  their  eyes:  and 
"  immediately  their  eyes  received  sight,  and  they  followed  him." 
See  also  chap.  ix.  27  to  SO.  Mark  viii.  22  to  26  ;  chap.  x.  46  to 
52.  Luke  xviii.  35  to  43.  John  ix.  1  to  41. 


We  have  already,  under  article  16,  made  some  remarks  on  the 
ability  of  Jesus  to  open  the  eyes  of  the  blind  ;  and  shewn,  that 
this  ability  was  exerted  by  him  in  consequence  of  their  faith  di- 
rected to  him  in  person.  The  same  is  observable  in  the  transac- 
tion above  described.  We  no  where  read  in  the  Gospels,  that 
either  the  blind,  the  deaf,  the  dumb,  the  lame,  or  the  sick,  were 
healed  by  any  God  the  Father  out  of,  or  separate  from  Jesus 
Christ  :  neither  do  we  find,  that  any  prayers  offered  up  to  such 
an  imaginary  being  were  ever  answered,  or  even  heard  by  him. 
So  in  like  manner  it  appears,  that  even  now,  as  in  all  former 
times,  a  worship,  or  a  faith,  which  is  directed  to  an  invisible  and 
unknown  God,  or  to  a  being  alike  destitute  of  substance  and  form, 
and  consequently  having  neither  eyes  to  see,  nor  ears  to  hear, 
nor  hands  to  supply,  the  wants  of  those  who  address  him,  can 
never  in  the  nature  of  things  be  either  answered  or  regarded. 

But  widely  different  in  it's  nature,  and  likewise  in  it's  effects, 
is  a  worship,  a  faith,  or  a  prayer,  which  is  directed  to  a  God  visi- 
ble, incarnate,  and  thus  having  all  the  powers  and  attributes  of 
Divinity  concentrated  and  embodied  in  the  human  form ;  a  form, 
to  which  every  thing  in  the  created  universe  bears  some  relation, 
either  directly  or  indirectly  ;  and  which,  therefore,  in  it's  highest 
degree  of  perfection,  that  is,  when  united  with  the  divine  essence, 
as  it  was  in  tlie  person  of  Jesus,  becomes  the  true  end  and  ob- 
ject of  all  legitimate  worship,  whetlier  it  arise  from  the  altar  of 


112  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

a  human  or  of  an  angelic  breast.  To  this  Divixf.  Man,  bv 
whatever  name  he  be  distinguislied  in  the  Sacred  Records,  whe- 
ther as  the  Angel  of  Jehovah,  or  the  promised  Messiah,  or 
the  actually  incarnate  Saviour  of  the  world,  if  tlie  humble  pray- 
ers and  adorations  of  the  heart  be  offered,  in  a  pure  faith,  and  in 
sincere  acknowledgment  of  his  sole  and  exclusive  Divinity,  the 
veracity  and  sanctity  of  his  Word  are  pledged  to  the  perform- 
ance of  all  that  the  creature  can  reasonably  desire.  Hence, 
when  tlie  two  blind  men  addressed  him,  saying,  "  Have  mercy  on 
"us,  O  Lord,  thou  Son  of  David,"  Jesus  called  them,  and  said, 
"  What  will  ye  that  I  shall  do  unto  you  ?"  They  answered, 
''  Lord,  that  our  eyes  may  be  opened."  Whereupon  he  had  com- 
passion on  them,  and  touched  their  eyes ;  immediately  they  re- 
ceived their  sight. 

In  another  place  our  Lord  says  to  his  disciples,  "  Hitherto 
"  have  ye  asked  nothing  in  my  name  /"  that  is,  ye  have  not  as 
yet  directed  your  prayers  to  the  Father,  or  divine  essence,  as 
dwelling  in  me,  thus  not  to  the  Divinity  and  the  Humanity  under 
one  view.  "  Ask"  in  this  manner,  "  and  ye  shall  receive,  that 
*'  your  joy  may  be  full,"  John  xvi.  24.  In  the  23d  verse  of  the 
same  chapter  he  observes.  "  Whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  the  Fa- 
"  ther  in  my  name,  he  ivill  give  it  you  :^^  but  in  chap.  xiv.  13,  he 
also  says,  "  AVhatsoever  ye  shall  ask  in  my  name,  that  ivill  I  rfo, 
*'  that  the  Father  may  be  glorified  in  the  Son."  And  to  enforce 
this  latter  sentiment,  which  he  foresaw  would  be  received  with 
great  difficulty  by  some  minds,  he  again  repeats  it  in  verse  14 : 
"  If  ye  shall  ask  any  thing  in  my  name,  /  tcill  do  it.^^ 

From  these  passages  compared  together,  and  understood  in  t!ie 
only  way  in  which  they  can  be,  consistently  with  each  other,  this 
great  truth  most  evidently  results,  namely,  That  the  Father  dwells 
in  the  Son,  just  as  the  soul  dwells  in  the  body  ;  that  they  in  like 
manner  constitute  One  Person;  and  consequently  that,  though  they 
are  distinguished  in  name,  and  even  in  idea,  the  one  from  the 
other,  just  as  the  soul  and  body  of  man  are  distinguished,  or  as 
essence  and  form  are  distinguished,  yet  both  together  are  to  be 
considered  as  for  ever  united  in  One;  and  therefore  that  it 
amounts  to  the  same  thins;,  whether  it  be  said,  that  t)ie  Father 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  113 

will  answer  the  prayer,  or  that  the  Son  will  answer  it,  since  in 
either  case  it  is  still  tlic  act  of  one  and  the  same  individual  and 
eternal  Jehovah. 

But  as  the  Father,  or  invisible  Divinity,  resides  in,  and  not  out 
of,  the  visible  Humanity  of  Jesus  ;  as  at  the  same  time  this  Huma- 
nity or  body  of  Jesus,  now  glorified,  or  fully  united  with  the  di- 
vine essence  called  the  Father,  is  equally  omnipotent  and  omni- 
present with  the  pure  Divinity  itself,  which  is  within  it ;  and  as 
again  no  man  hath  seen  or  can  see,  or  in  any  possible  way  can 
conceive  of,  much  less  approach,  the  naked  Divinity,  such  as  it  is 
in  itself,  without  danger  of  falling  first  into  mere  Naturalism, 
and  afterwards  into  downright  Atheism  ;  it  has  therefore  pleased 
the  merciful  Parent  and  Benefactor  of  his  creatures  to  reveal 
himself  to  them  as  a  Divine  Man,  nay  to  present  himself  actu- 
ally before  them  for  a  time  under  the  veil  of  mere  Jiesh,  that 
therein  and  thereby  he  might  bring  down  among  them  the  heal- 
ing virtues  of  his  Holy  Spirit,  and  thus,  in  a  way  accommodated 
to  their  infirmities  and  imperfections,  gradually  but  eff'ectually  in- 
struct them  with  his  wisdom,  bless  them  with  his  love,  and  final- 
ly receive  them  to  himself  in  his  everlasting  kingdom. 

It  is  for  this  great  end,  that  the  whole  book  of  revelation,  and 
especially  the  New  Testament,  continually  calls  upon  and  teaches 
man  to  direct  his  faith  and  his  worship  to  Jesus  Christ,  first  as 
the  Son  of  God,  by  which  expression  is  meant  the  divine  truth 
proceeding  from  the  divine  good,  or  the  Word  made  flesh  ;  then  as 
the  God  of  heaven  and  earth  ;  and  finally,  as  One  with  the  Father, 
yea  as  the  Father  himself  in  a  Human  Form,  besides  whom  there 
is  and  can  be  neither  Creator  nor  Redeemer,  neither  Father  nor 
Saviour  of  mankind. 

The  primitive  Christians  in  general  regarded  him  in  the  first 
character  ;  and  possibly  some  of  them  might  have  looked  upon 
him  in  the  second :  but  it  was  reserved  for  men  of  the  present 
day,  believing  with  their  heart  the  whole  testimony  of  divine  re- 
velation, and  at  the  same  time,  by  the  just  exercise  of  their  un- 
derstanding, perceiving  the  wisdom  of  it's  contents,  to  behold  in 
the  single  person  of  Jesus,  not  only  his  first  and  second  charac- 
ters, but  also  liis  third,  his  most  interior,  and  most  perfect  of  all 

P 


114  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

characters,  namely,  his  absolute  identity  with  the  Father  himself : 
insomuch  that  he  is  now  regarded  as  at  once  the  Father,  the  Son. 
and  the  Holy  Spirit ;  in  other  words,  as  the  alone  Creator  from 
eternity.  Redeemer  in  time,  and  Regenerator  for  evermore. 

And  this  we  understand  to  be  a  full  accomplishment  of  that  ex- 
traordinary prediction  of  the  Lord  concerning  the  Father,  which 
has  heretofore  been  so  little  noticed  in  the  church,  but  which  now 
calls  for  our  particular  attention.  "  The  time  cometh,"  (says  he,) 
"  when  I  shall  no  more  speak  unto  you  in  proverbs,  but  I  shall  shew 
*'  you  plainly  of  the  Father,''^  John  xvi.  25.  To  speak  in  proverbs, 
and  in  parables,  is  to  speak  obscurely,  or  in  such  terms  as  do  not 
immediately  or  directly  convey  the  plain  and  full  meaning  of  the 
speaker ;  and  this  was  the  usual  practice  of  the  Lord,  because,  as 
he  observes  in  another  place,  his  disciples  could  not  at  that  time 
bear  or  comprehend  the  more  interior  truths,  which  he  had  in  re- 
serve for  his  future  church.  The  great  doctrine,  which  he  allud- 
ed to,  concerning  the  Father,  could  not  possibly  be  that,  which 
the  generality  of  mankind  in  all  ages  have  held,  and  which  even 
they  who  call  themselves  Christians  in  the  present  day  maintain, 
in  respect  to  an  invisible  Creator  of  tlie  universe ;  but  it  must 
have  been  a  new,  but  plain  and  open  revelation  concerning  Him- 
self, in  his  capacity  of  Father,  Parent,  Protector,  and  Benefactor 
of  the  human  race,  which  was  neither  known  nor  suspected  by 
the  wisest  or  the  best  of  mankind.  In  short,  it  was  the  very  doc- 
trine, which  we  have  now  the  honour  to  announce,  drawn  with 
unerring  certainty  from  the  sacred  fountain  of  divine  truth  itself, 
and  communicated  to  the  world  by  a  messenger  of  the  Lord's 
own  appointment,  for  the  edification,  the  comfort,  and  the  happi- 
ness of  his  New  and  True  Christian  Church.* 

*  The  messenger  here  alluded  to  is  the  late  lion.  Emancel  Swedenboho, 
whose  various  writings,  in  illustration  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  we  know  not 
how  sufficiently  to  appreciate  and  recommend.  They  absolutely  supersede, 
and  in  a  manner  render  nugatory,  all  that  has  been  written  on  the  sanctity 
and  divinity  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  even  by  the  wisest  and  the  best  of 
commentators,  from  the  days  of  the  Apostles  down  to  the  very  day  on  which 
he  took  up  his  pen,  that  is,  down  to  the  commencement  of  the  New  Jerusa- 
lem, which  also  is  the  era  of  the  Lord's  second  advent.    And  hence  it  is,  that 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  115 

[39.]  Matt.  xxi.  1  to  5.  "  And  when  they  drew  nigh  unto 
<*  Jerusalem,  and  were  come  to  Bethphage,  unto  the  mount  of 
*'  Olives,  then  sent  Jesus  two  disciples,  saying  unto  them.  Go 
"  into  the  village  over-against  you,  and  straightway  ye  shall  find 
*'  an  ass  tied,  and  a  colt  with  her :  loose  them,  and  bring  them 
"  unto  me.  And  if  any  man  say  aught  unto  you,  ye  shall  say, 
"  The  Lord  hath  need  of  them,  and  straightway  he  will  send  them. 
"  All  this  was  done,  that  it  might  be  fulfilled  which  was  spoken 
"  by  the  prophet,  saying,  Tell  ye  the  daughter  of  Zion,  Behold, 
"  thy  King  cometh  unto  thee,  meek,  and  sitting  upon  an  ass,  and 

we  should  consider  it  a  waste  of  paper,  but  especially  a  waste  of  the  reader's 
time,  were  we  to  appeal,  for  authority,  or  for  genuine  information  on  the 
great  subject  of  this  volume,  to  any  of  the  writers  alluded  to,  whether  they 
have  obtained  the  name  of  fathers  or  of  mothers  in  the  Christian  church.  But 
as  in  former  times  the  least  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven  was  greater  than  John 
the  Baptist,  though  he  excelled  all  that  went  before  him,  so  now  the  meanest, 
humblest  writer  in  the  New  Church  can  give  more  satisfactory,  more  certain 
information  concerning  the  person  and  character  of  our  Lord,  than  the  very 
best,  and  wisest,  and  greatest  in  the  former  dispensation.  For  "from  the 
"least  of  them,  even  unto  the  greatest  of  them,  they  all  know"  Tvho  and 
•jtiAai  is  "  the  Lord,"  Jer.  xxxi.  34;  which  never  yet  was  the  case  in  the 
church,  properly'speaklng,  until  the  present  day.  This  honour,  however,  be- 
longs not  to,  nor  is  it  claimed  by,  any  individual  of  the  New  Church ;  but  is 
with  one  unanimous  voice  ascribed  solely  to  him,  who  has  been  pleased  at 
length  to  reveal  himself,  and  according  to  his  faithful  promise  to  "  sheiv  us 
"plainly  of  the  Father." 

Instead,  therefore,  of  referring  the  reader,  for  genuine  information,  and 
for  the  purest  lessons  of  heavenly  wisdom,  to  any  writer  whatever,  whose 
name  is  unknown  among  the  citizens  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  we  most  sincere- 
ly and  affectionately  recommend  to  his  notice,  in  the  first  place,  the  writings 
of  the  Author  already  mentioned,  and  in  the  next  place,  (to  say  nothing  of 
the  many  anonymous  papers  in  periodical  publications,  which  from  time  to 
time  appear,)  the  various  Sermons,  Essays,  Letters,  and  other  productions  of 
the  Rev.  John  Clowes,  M.  A.  the  Rev.  Richard  Joxes,  both  of  Manchester; 
the  Rev.  Joseph  Phoud,  the  Rev.  Manoah  Siblt,  the  late  Rev.  James  Hodsox, 
M .  D.  and  the  Rev.  Thomas  Furloxg  Chtrchii,!,,  M.  D.  all  of  London ;  whose 
names  and  memory  will  ever  be  revered  for  the  valuable  services,  which 
they  have  respectively  performed  to  the  New  Church  at  large. 


116  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

"  a  colt  tlic  foal  of  an  ass."     See  also  Mark  xi.  1  to  10.    Luke 
xix.  28  to  S8.  John  xii.  1'2  to  15. 


Many  are  the  instances  related  in  the  Gospels,  of  the  superna- 
tural knowledge  and  foresight  of  Jesus.  Among  the  rest  this 
must  also  have  it's  due  weight  with  every  attentive  reader,  name- 
ly, that  Jesus  knew,  or  perceived,  not  only  the  objects  and  cir- 
cumstances which  were  present  to  him,  in  common  with  his  dis- 
ciples and  others,  but  also  the  objects,  occurrences,  and  inci- 
dents, which  were  not  in  like  manner  present,  and  which  indeed 
could  only  have  been  seen  by  the  broad  eye  of  Omniscience  it- 
self. From  the  passage,  which  lies  before  us,  it  is  plainly  to  be 
inferred,  that,  with  respect  to  local  situation,  neither  Jesus  nor 
his  disciples  could  have  a  duect  view  either  of  the  ass  and  her 
colt,  or  of  their  owner :  and  yet  he  describes  the  precise  circum- 
stances under  which  the  messengers  would  find,  and  actually  did 
find,  the  former;  while  at  the  same  time  he  distinctly  apprizes 
them  of  the  future  conduct  of  the  owner  of  the  animals,  and,  ac- 
cording to  the  testimony  of  Mark  and  Luke,  of  the  very  words 
W'hicli  he  would  make  use  of  on  the  occasion.  Is  this  a  trait  of 
mere  humanity  ? 

But  it  is  further  remarkable,  (and  indeed  what  is  there  in  the 
history  of  such  a  character  as  Jesus,  tliat  is  not  remarkable  }^ 
that,  when  the  Lord  commissioned  his  two  disciples  to  bring  him 
the  ass  and  her  colt,  he  also  gave  them  in  charge  what  they  were 
to  reply,  if  any  person  should  say  aught  unto  them :  "  Ye  shall 
"  say,  T/ie  Lord  hath  need  of  them."  Plain  and  simple  as  the 
words  appear,  they  yet  contain  an  infinity  of  wisdom  and  of 
power.  All  the  predictions  of  tlie  Old  Testament,  all  that  was 
written  in  tlie  law  of  Moses,  and  in  the  Prophets,  and  in  the 
Psalms,  concerning  him,  must  have  their  accomplishment  in  his 
person.  A  divine  necessity,  which  may  be  called  the  stream  of 
Providence,  flowing  from  his  love  and  M'isdom  united,  encircles, 
guides,  inclines,  and  sweetly  impels  every  sentient,  every  intelli- 
gent being  to  perform  the  sovereign  purpose  of  his  adorable  will, 
yet  without  violating,  or  in  the  most  inconceivably  minute  parti- 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  117 

cular  infringing  that  liberti/,  which  he  originally  gave,  and  which 
he  incessantly  continues  to  bestow  on  man,  as  the  universal,  fun- 
damental, and  eternal  condition  of  his  existence.  No  wonder 
then,  when  those  divine  words  were  repeated,  whicli  in  them- 
selves "  are  spirit,  and  are  life,"  that  even  a  stranger  to  the  dis- 
ciples, and  pi-obably  to  the  person  of  Jesus,  instantly  and  volun- 
tarily acquiesced  in  the  proposal ;  feeling  perhaps  in  himself  an 
internal  dictate  or  impression,  which  he  could  not  account  for, 
prompting  him  to  comply  with  what  was  required  of  him,  and 
thus  to  administer  to  the  service  of  him,  who,  though  unknown 
and  disregarded  by  many  on  earth,  is  yet  acknowledged  and 
adored  by  angels  in  heaven,  as  the  Sovereign  King,  and  Univer- 
sal Lord. 


[40.]  Matt.  xxi.  18  to  20.  "  Now  in  the  morning,  as  he  re- 
"  turned  into  the  city,  he  hungered.  And  when  he  saw  a  fig- 
"  tree  in  the  way,  he  came  to  it,  and  found  nothing  thereon,  but 
"  leaves  only,  and  said  unto  it,  Let  no  fruit  grow  on  thee  hence- 
^^  forward  for  ever.  And  presently  the  fig-tree  withered  away. 
"  And  wlien  the  disciples  saw  it,  they  marvelled,  saying.  How 
<'  soon  is  the  fig-tree  withered  away .'"  See  also  Mark  xi.  12*  to 
14,  20. 


This  is  generally  called  cursing  the  fig-tree ;  and  some  do  not 
hesitate  to  pronounce  it  a  most  unreasonable  act  on  the  part  of 
Jesus,  (allowing  him  to  be  possessed  of  such  an  extraordinary 
power,  as  the  history  ascribes  to  him,)  because  in  the  Gospel  by 
Mark  it  is  expressly  stated,  that  it  was  not  then  the  time  of  figs. 
"  Why,"  say  they,  "  should  Jesus  be  so  impatient  of  hunger, 


*  The  minister  (not  a  Unitarian)  who  lately  attributed  "  limitation  of  un- 
"  derstanding"  to  the  Saviour,  in  a  sermon  on  this  subject,  is  recommended 
to  compare  Gen.  iii.  9,  11.  xviii.  21.  Isa.  lis.  16.  Jer.  xxxii.  25.  Matt.  vii. 
23.  &  XXV.  12.  with  Swedenborg's  "  Doctrine  of  the  Sacred  Scripture," 
No.  95.      Am.  Pub. 


118  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPg  OF 

'•  and  so  vindictive  on  his  disappointment?  Could  not  he,  who 
"  fed  five  thousand,  and  four  thousand,  at  different  times,  with 
"  only  an  handful  of  provision,  and  who  caused  a  superabund- 
"  ance  to  remain  after  they  were  all  well  filled,  instantly  supply 
"  himself  with  all  necessary  sustenance,  or  at  least  so  govern  and 
"  subdue  the  cravings  of  appetite,  as  to  submit  with  cheerfulness 
"  and  content  to  the  present  privation,  until  he  had  entered  the 
'*  city,  where  he  might  readily  have  satisfied  his  hunger  ?  Why  then 
"  suffer  his  indignation  to  fall  upon  a  poor  tree,  which  was  in  no 
"  fault,  but  on  the  contrary  was  actually  in  progress  towards  the 
"  production  of  fruit  in  the  proper  season,  having  already  put 
"  forth  it's  leaves,  as  a  preliminary  proof  of  it's  vegetative 
'•  powers  ?" 

Such  are  the  reflections  and  the  reasonings  of  a  mere  A'*atu- 
ralist,  of  one  who  looks  only  at  the  bark,  the  leaf,  the  husk,  the 
shell  of  things,  instead  of  feasting  upon  the  kernel,  the  fruit,  the 
interior  substance,  for  the  sake  of  which  all  the  previous  stages  of 
vegetation  existed ;  in  other  words,  of  one  who  dwells  upon  the 
mere  letter  of  a  divine  history,  and  wlio  is  totally  incompetent  to 
form  a  correct  judgment  of  the  heavenly  wisdom  which  lies  con- 
cealed in  this,  as  in  every  other  part  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures. 

But  before  we  hint  at  the  true  interpretation  of  the  passage,  it 
may  be  proper  for  a  moment  to  leave  our  Naturalist  or  Material- 
ist to  the  enjoyment  of  his  own  sentiments  of  infidelity,  that  we 
may  address  ourselves  more  particularly  to  those,  who  are  wil- 
ling to  admit  the  authority  and  the  right  of  Jesus  to  act  as  he, 
did,  however  difiicult  they  may  find  it  to  comprehend  the  reason- 
ableness of  his  conduct  on  the  occasion. 

Some  have  even  suspected  an  error  in  the  original,  and  that  in- 
stead of  it's  being  said,  as  in  Mark,  tliat  the  time  of  fgs  was  not 
yet,  it  ought  to  have  been  expressed  thus,  that  it  was  then  the 
time  of  figs  ;  by  which  they  imagine,  that  all  the  difficulty  will 
be  removed  at  once,  and  the  reason  given  for  cursing  the  fig-tree 
be  found  quite  sufficient  and  satisfactory.  Whether  these  pro- 
fessors of  Christianity  are  agreed  among  themselves,  or  not,  in 
their  conjectures  about  tlie  authenticity  and  accuracy  of  the  text, 
as  we  now  have  it,  thev  will  nevertheless  all  acknowledge,  that 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  119 

a  word  spoken  by  Jesus  had  the  full  effect  of  destroying,  in  an 
instant  as  it  were,  the  interior  organization  of  the  tree,  and  re- 
ducing to  a  withered  and  sapless  stock  that  vegetable  production 
of  nature,  which  required  the  presence  of  an  omnipotent  hand  to 
cause  it  to  be  even  what  he  then  found  it.  They  admit  this,  be- 
cause they  read  the  fact,  and  have  no  clue  to  guide  them  to  any 
higher,  more  interior,  and  more  rational  view  of  the  transaction  ; 
and  yet  many  of  them  still  consider  Jesus  to  have  been  no  other 
than  a  prophet^  a  messenger  sent  by  God,  similar  but  superior  to 
others  who  had  preceded  him;  while  some  are  willing  to  raise  him 
to  the  dignity  of  an  angel;  and  others  again  to  the  high  honour  of 
being  a  kind  of  partner  with  the  Supreme  God  in  his  divine  attri- 
butes, not  indeed  as  to  his  Humanity,  but  only  as  to  his  Divinity, 
which  is  out  of  and  above  it. 

But  is  the  hand  of  Omnipotence,  or  the  work  of  Infinite  Wis- 
dom, to  be  thus  arrested  and  dissolved  at  the  mere  will  of  a  mor' 
tal  man?  or  even  of  the  highest  created  intelligence?  Or  are  we 
to  subscribe  to  the  existence  of  two  Omnipotents,  the  one  destroy- 
ing and  annulling  the  work  of  another  ?  It  cannot,  it  must  not, 
for  a  moment  be  admitted  :  and  therefore  of  necessity  we  con- 
clude, that  he,  who  by  the  word  of  his  mouth  could  suspend  and 
counteract  the  laws  of  nature,  must  at  the  same  time  have  been 
the  sole  God  of  nature;  that  God,  who  in  ancient  times  "  sent 
"  Moses  his  servant,  and  Aaron  whom  he  had  chosen,  to  shew 
"  his  signs  among  his  enemies,  and  wonders  in  the  land  of  Ham 
"  [^»yP^]'"  ^^^^  who,  among  the  rest  of  his  judgments,  "  smote 
"  their  vines  also,  and  their  jig-trees ;  and  brake  the  trees  of 
«  their  coasts,"  Ps.  cv.  26,  27,  33. 

Having  thus  taken  an  exterior  view  of  the  transaction  as  rela- 
ted by  the  Evangelists,  it  may  be  useful,  in  a  few  words,  to  point 
out  that  more  interior  signification  of  the  passage,  to  which  we 
before  alluded,  and  which  will  serve  to  shew,  that  whatever  may 
be  the  difficulties  belonging  to  the  literal  history,  the  internal 
sense,  or  spiritual  instruction  to  be  derived  from  it,  is  perfectly 
free  from  all  rational  objection. 

Trees  in  general,  when  referred  to  in  the  Holy  Word,  are  sig- 
nificative of  men,  or  of  societies  of  men,  called  churches,  especi- 


120  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

ally  as  to  their  perceptions  and  knowledges  of  good  and  truth 
from  an  interior  affection  :  and  hence,  according  to  their  respec- 
tive qualities  or  value,  they  denote  churches  or  individuals  of  su- 
perior or  inferior  degrees  of  spiritual  life.  This  appears  very 
evident  from  the  parable,  which  Jotham  uttered  concerning  the 
trees  which  went  forth  on  a  time  to  anoint  a  king  over  them,  as 
related  in  Judges  ix.  8  to  20.  In  general  it  may  be  observed, 
that  the  olive,  the  vine,  and  the  jig-tree,  denote  celestial,  spiritu- 
al, and  natural  good,  or,  what  amounts  to  the  same  thing,  men  in 
whom  those  difterent  kinds  or  degrees  of  good  are  opened ;  the 
term  celestial  implying  what  is  inmost,  or  of  the  heart  and  it's 
affections  ;  the  term  spiritual,  what  is  interior,  being  of  the  un- 
derstanding and  it's  perceptions  ;  and  the  term  natural,  what  is 
external,  or  belonging  to  the  outward  life  and  conduct. 

From  these  preliminary  observations  it  may  now  be  seen,  that 
i\\e  jig-tree  on  the  way -side,  near  the  city  Jerusalem,  was  repre- 
sentative of  the  Jewish  church  and  people,  who  were  in  mere  ex- 
ternals, and  totally  destitute  of  every  spiritual  or  interior  good. 
By  it's  having  leaves,  but  no  fruit,  upon  it,  is  signified  that  they 
made  a  profession  indeed  with  their  lips  of  divine  truths,  such  as 
are  to  be  found  in  the  mere  letter  of  Scripture,  but  that  thej  did 
not  in  their  lives  bring  forth  the  good  fruits  of  love  and  charity. 
Leaves  denote  external  truths ;  and  fruit  denotes  a  good  life, 
from  a  principle  of  love  to  God,  and  charity  towards  our  neigh- 
bour. It  is  added  in  the  Gospel  by  Mark,  that  it  icas  not  the  time 
of  jigs ;  and  this  is  given  as  an  additional  reason  or  ground  of 
the  curse  that  followed.  By  time  in  the  Holy  Word  is  always 
meant  state  :  when  therefore  it  is  said,  that  it  was  not  the  time  of 
figs,  we  are  to  understand,  that  the  Jewish  church  was  in  no 
state  of  producing  even  external  or  natural  good,  represented 
by  figs. 

Thus  we  see,  that  what  appears  in  the  literal  sense  to  be  far 
from  a  justifiable  reason  for  cursing  the  fig-tree,  is  in  the  spiritu- 
al sense,  when  applied  to  the  Jewish  people,  the  true  and  genu- 
ine cause  of  their  extinction  as  a  church  and  nation  ;  and  when 
applied  to  mankind  at  large,  the  cause  of  all  tlie  evils  and  cala- 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  121 

niities  experienced  by  them,  whether  as  individuals,  as  societies, 
or  as  nations. 

And  here  let  it  be  well  observed,  for  it  is  a  truth  never  to  be 
lost  sight  of,  that,  although  the  literal  sense  of  the  passage  as- 
cribes the  destruction  of  the  fig-tree  to  Jesus,  as  in  other  parts 
of  the  Word  throughout,  the  miseries,  calamities,  and  destruction 
of  the  wicked  are  in  like  manner  attributed  to  the  fury  of  Jeho- 
vah, or  the  wrath  of  God;  still  in  the  genuine  spiritual  sense 
nothing  can  be  more  distant  from,  or  foreign  to,  the  real  nature 
of  either  the  one  or  the  other,  seeing  that  in  Jesus  and  Jehovah, 
which  are  only  different  names  for  one  and  the  same  God,  is  nei- 
ther fury  nor  vengeance,  neither  anger  nor  wrath,  but,  on  the  con- 
trary, the  purest  and  most  unbounded  love,  mercy,  and  compas- 
sion towards  the  whole  of  the  human  race. 

Another  observation  or  two  will  conclude  these  reflections.  It 
is  stated,  that  the  transaction  relative  to  the  fig-tree  occurred  in 
the  morning,  and  that  Jesus  hungered.  At  first  sight,  and  to  a 
superficial  reader,  it  may  appear  an  unimportant  circumstance, 
that  the  time  of  the  day  should  make  up  a  part  of  the  relation. 
But  in  a  work  dictated  by  Divine  Wisdom,  nothing  is  to  be  con- 
sidered as  a  matter  of  indifference  :  every  expression  must  have 
it's  weight,  and  be  fraught  with  instruction.  The  morning,  there- 
fore, being  the  beginning  of  a  new  day,  evidently  implies  the 
commencement  of  a  new  state,  a  new  church,  a  new  dispensation, 
brought  about  by  the  advent  of  Him  into  the  world,  who  is  so 
emphatically  declared  to  be  both  "  the  life  and  the  light  of 
"  men ;" — "  the  true  light,  which  lighteth  every  man  that  cometh' 
"  into  the  world ;" — "  a  light  to  lighten  the  gentiles,  and  the 
"  glory  of  his  people  Israel ;" — in  short,  "  the  Sun  of  righteous- 
"  ness  himself,  arising  with  healing  in  his  wings,"  The  forma- 
tion, or  rather  the  foundation,  of  the  Christian  church,  which  the 
Lord  laid  while  upon  earth,  was  that  morning,  spiritually  under- 
stood, to  which  the  Evangelist  alludes :  and  in  the  same  sense 
the  advent  of  the  Lord  into  every  mind,  which  is  receptive  of  hi^ 
holy  and  heavenly  influence,  is  also,  to  the  individual  so  blessed 
with  his  presence,  the  morning  qf  an  everlasting  day,  the  spring 
of  a  never-ending  year. 

Q 


122  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OK 

But  what  is  meant  bv  that  hiin,s;er,  to  which  Jesus  was  subjec* 
on  that  memorable  mornin<5  ?  Literally  speaking,  he  looked  for 
fi^n,  and  found  nothing  but  leaves.  But  in  spiritual  language,  he 
intensely  desired  to  receive  the  homage  of  the  heart  and  the  life 
from  his  ancient  people,  whom  he  braught  up,  by  his  servant  Mo- 
ses, out  of  the  land  of  Egypt ;  whom  he  led  and  nourished  in  the 
wilderness  ;  and  whom  he  finally  introduced  into  the  promised 
land,  where  he  then  visited,  instructed,  and  would  have  saved 
them  with  an  everlasting  salvation,  had  they  but  brought  forth  the 
fridts  of  good  living,  and  not  contented  tliemselves  with  the  mere 
leaves  of  an  empty  profession.  Hunger  has  respect  to  food,  or 
the  appropriation  of  good  ;  and  thirst  to  drink-,  or  the  appropria- 
tion of  truth.  It  was  the  want  of  good,  of  love  and  charity  in 
their  spirit,  of  universal  benevolence  of  heart  both  to  friends  and 
foes,  which  the  Lord  deplored  in  that  worldly-minded  people  :  it 
v-as  also  the  recovery  of  tliose  heavenly  principles  of  spiritual 
life,  after  which  hehungej'ed,  and  which  he  was  desirous  of  seeing 
established  among  them :  and  not  so  much  the  mere  knowledge 
of  truth,  after  which  he  thirsted,  seeing  that  they  were  .already  in 
the  external  possession  of  the  Oracles  of  Divine  Wisdom;  though, 
it  must  at  the  same  time  be  confessed,  tliat  they  had  by  their  lusts 
and  traditions  well-nigh  extinguished  in  themselves  ail  the  light 
of  revelation. 

Taking  now  all  these  considerations  in  their  true  light ;  view- 
ing the  whole  subject  both  in  ifs  literal  and  in  it's  spiritual  sense; 
comparing  the  effects  produced  by  the  word  of  Jesus  with  simi- 
lar signs  and  wonders  performed  in  more  ancient  times  by  Jeho- 
vah :  and  lastly,  reflecting  on  the  present  state  of  the  Jewish 
church  and  people,  in  whom  we  perceive  the  accomplishment  of 
our  Lord's  prophetic  declaration,  that  no  fruit  should  thencefor- 
ward grow  on  their  tree,  and  that  it  has  actually  withered  awaif, 
and  nearly,  if  not  entirely,  cflsf  «//  it's  leaves,  so  that  they  can- 
not witlr  any  propriety  be  now  called  either  a  church  or  a  nation, 
and  in  all  probability  will  never  again  become  such  :  what  other 
conclusion  can  we  draw,  in  respect  to  Him,  whose  word  and 
wisdom,  whose  omnipotence  and  omniscience,  have  thus  been 
magnified  in  the  sight  of  men  and  ajigcls,  but  that  which  we 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITAUIANS,  &c.  123 

have  already  drawn,  and  which  shall  again  and  again  be  demon- 
strated and  confirmed,  until  the  whole  earth,  i.  e.  the  whole 
church,  shall  be  constrained  to  acknowledge  and  confess,  from  a 
view  of  the  works  which  he  hath  wrought.  That  the  Divine  Man 
Jf.sus  is  at  the  same  time  the  Omnipotent  God  Jehovah  ? 


[41.]  ISIatt.  xxi.  23  to  27i  "  And  when  he  was  come  into  the 
"  temple,  the  chief  priests  and  the  elders  of  the  people  came  unto 
"  him  as  lie  was  teaching,  and  said,  Bij  what  auihority  dost  thou 
''  these  things?  and  ivho  gave  thee  this  authority?  and  Jesus 
"  answered  and  said  unto  them,  I  also  will  ask  you  one  thing, 
*'  which  if  ye  tell  me,  I  in  like  wise  will  tell  you  by  what  autho- 
*•  rity  I  do  these  things.  The  baptism  of  John,  whence  was  it  ? 
*^from  heaven,  or  of  men?  And  they  reasoned  with  themselves, 
"  saying,  If  we  shall  say.  From  heaven  ;  he  will  say  unto  us, 
"  Why  did  ye  not  then  believe  him  }  But  if  we  shall  say.  Of 
"  men ;  we  fear  the  people  ;  for  all  hold  John  as  a  prophet.  And 
"  they  answered  Jesus,  and  said,  We  cannot  tell.  And  he  said 
"  unto  them,  JSTeither  tell  I  you  by  ivhat  authority  I  do  these 
"  things.''^     See  also  Mark  xi.  27  to  33.     Luke  xx.  1  to  8. 


Now  we  are  come  to  the  point :  now  we  shall  see,  as  so  fair  an 
opportunity  is  given,  whether  Jesus  v/ill,  or  will  not,  acknow- 
ledge and  confess,  that  he  has  received  a  commission  and  autho- 
rity from  any  Being  superior  to,  and  diiferent  from  himself,  to 
perform  the  various  cures  and  miraculous  works,  which  the 
scribes  and  Pharisees,  the  chief  priests  and  elders  of  the  people, 
had  so  frequently  witnessed.  They  had  seen  him  enter  Jerusa- 
lem in  the  same  pomp  of  procession,  as  was  usual  in  ancient 
times,  when  judges,  kings,  and  the  sons  of  kings,  made  their  state- 
appearance  in  public,  riding  either  on  asses  or  on  mules,  as  ap- 
pears from  Judges  v.  10  ;  chap.  x.  3,  4  ;  chap.  xii.  14.  1  Kings 
i.  33,  38,  44,  45.  They  had  heard  the  acclamations  of  the  multi- 
tude, crying  out  in  exultation,  "  Hosanna  to  the  Son  of  David  ! 
'•  Blessed  is  he  that  cometh  in  ihc  name  of  the  Lord  !     Hosanna 


124  A  SfiAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

"  in  the  highest !"  They  had  also  observed  with  what  power 
and  authority  lie  had  purged  the  temple,  casting  out  the  buyers 
and  the  sellers,  overturning  the  money -tables,  and  the  seats  ol' 
those  who  trafficked  in  doves ;  and  were  no  doubt  thrown  into 
the  utmost  astonishment,  when  he  gave  as  his  reason  for  all  this, 
*'  It  is  wiitten,  "  J\Iy  house  shall  be  called  the  house  of  prayer ; 
*'  but  ye  have  made  it  a  den  of  thieves."  Again,  they  could  not 
but  have  remarked  the  miraculous  cures,  which  he  performed  at 
the  same  time  on  the  blind  and  the  lame,  who  came  to  him  in  the- 
temple;  while  the  children  were  still  shouting  in  their  ears, 
*'  Hosanna  to  the  Son  of  David  !"  "  Blessed  is  the  King  of  I^- 
"  rael !"  Lastly,  they  had  witnessed  the  judgment  of  the  fig- 
tree  ;  and  perhaps  had  been  informed  of  the  saying  of  Jesus  on 
the  occasion  to  his  disciples,  that  "  if  they  had  faith,  they  should 
*'  be  endued  with  power  not  only  to  destroy  a  tree,  but  even  to 
"  remove  a  mountain,  and  to  cast  it  into  tlie  midst  of  the  sea." 
These  are  the  things,  as  related  in  the  former  part  of  Matt.  xxi. 
which  in  all  probability  the  chief  priests  and  elders  of  the  people, 
unable  to  gainsay  or  contradict  them  in  any  respect,  must  have 
had  in  their  more  immediate  view,  when  they  came  to  Jesus,  and 
inquired  by  what  authority  he  acted,  and  from  whom  he  had  re- 
ceived such  authority. 

A  more  suitable  opportunity  could  not  have  been  given  for  Je- 
sus to  declare  the  real  nature  of  his  character ;  whether  he  came 
into  the  world  as  a  sub-agent,  deputed,  delegated,  or  commission- 
ed by  another  Being  called  God,  different  in  every  respect  from 
himself;  whether  he  acted  solely  in  the  name,  and  under  the 
avowed  authority,  of  such  different  and  distinct  Being,  in  the  ca- 
pacity of  a  mere  servant  and  minister  of  God,  whom  he  was 
bound  to  acknowledge  as  his  Creator  and  Preserver,  in  common 
with  the  rest  of  finite  intelligences ;  or  whether,  on  the  other 
hand,  he  came  down  from  heaven  as  the  Divine  Truth  itself,  or 
as  the  Word,  or  as  God  himself  incarnate,  and  thus  acted  under 
his  own  proper  authoritrj,  underived  from  any  other  Being  or 
Power  different  from  himself,  but  solely  from  that  divine  princi- 
ple and  source  of  all  life,  which  was  within  him,  which  was  his 
own,  and  not  another^s,  and  which  is  understood  in  the  Sacred 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  123 

Scriptures  by  the  name  of  Father,  while  the  visible  form  of  that 
same  divine  essence  is  called  the  Son. 

Had  the  first  supposition  been  a  just  view  of  his  character,  it 
is  very  extraordinary,  and  one  would  think  not  at  all  justifiable 
in  a  mere  servant  and  messenger,  that  he  did  not  eagerly  embrace 
the  opportunity  of  paying  honour  to  his  Master,  and  of  declaring 
that  he  was  of  no  higher  consideration  than  Moses,  or  any  of  the 
prophets,  being  like  them  only  a  creature  of  yesterday  ;  conse- 
quently that,  his  commission  being  defined,  and  his  power  circum- 
scribed by  another,  from  whom  he  received  it,  he  acted  solely  un- 
der the  deputed  authority  of  tliat  other,  and  was  responsible  to 
him  for  every  part  of  his  conduct.  His  neglect,  however,  to  do 
in  this  case  what  every  reasonable  person  would  judge  to  have 
been  his  indispensable  duty,  coupled  with  our  knowledge  or  firm 
belief  that  all  his  words  and  works  were  founded  in  the  deepest 
wisdom,  naturally  leads  us  to  make  a  further  inquiry  into  the 
true  ground  and  reason  of  his  conduct,  which  was  so  unexpected, 
and  yet  so  satisfactory  in  it's  final  result. 

When  Moses  stood  before  Pharaoh,  he  declared  in  whose  name, 
and  by  whose  authority,  he  demanded  the  liberation  of  Israel ; 
and  in  no  case  have  any  of  the  true  prophets,  who  succeeded  him, 
ever  claimed  to  themselves,  or  suffered  others  to  impute  to  them, 
a  power  which  exclusively  belonged  to  the  Supreme  God.  Nor 
can  we  believe,  that  Jesus,  supposing  him  to  have  been  a  mere 
prophet  or  servant  of  God,  similarly  situated,  and  similarly  en- 
dowed, would  have  been  behind  the  very  first  or  best  of  his 
brethren  in  deprecating  even  the  appearance  or  suspicion  of 
self-derived  authority,  and  in  explicitly  ascribing  all  the  honour, 
ail  the  glory,  and  all  the  merit  of  his  works  to  him,  from  whom 
alone  they  proceeded. 

From  a  full  conviction,  therefore,  tliat  Jesus  was  the  very 
Wisdom  or  Word  of  God,  and  consequently  that  he  was  no  less 
than  God  himself  Incarnate,  since  God  and  his  Word  are  insepa- 
rably One,  we  feel  ourselves  under  the  highest  ol>ligatlon  to  re- 
ceive and  acknowledge  him  in  this  first  and  greatest  of  characters. 
And  hence  we  conclude,  that  by  his  refusing  to  give  a  direct  an- 
swer to  the  question  of  the  chief  priests  and  elders  of  the  people. 


126  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  Ot 

whom  he  knew  to  be  incapable  of  any  faith  bej'ond  tlie  evidence 
of  the  external  senses,  he  meant  to  teach  us,  (yet  hidirectlif,  lest 
the  great  lesson  should  prove  too  hard  at  first  for  our  feeble  un- 
derstanding, from  it's  being  so  contrary  to  all  appearance,)  that 
the  authority  under  which  lie  acted  on  every  occasion,  and  tl.e 
power  which  he  displayed  in  the  performance  of  every  miracle, 
were  absolutely  and  exclusively  his  oicu^  being  derived  from  no 
other  Being,  either  in  heaven  or  on  earth,  but  originating  in  aad 
with  Himself  alone. 

It  is  in  reference  to  the  great  doctrine  here  advanced,  and  to 
this  highest  view  of  the  person  and  character  of  Jesus,  that  the 
Sacred  Scripture  of  the  Old  Testament,  and  the  Sacred  Scripture 
of  the  New  Testament,  like  two  cherubs  over  tiie  mercy-seat 
looking  at  each  other,  (Exod.  xxv.  19,  20,)  so  frequently  and  so 
emphatically  declare,  first  by  the  voice  of  one,  that  Jehovah 
himself  will  assuredly  descend,  and  become  (what  no  other  be- 
ing can  or  ever  could  become)  the  alone  Saviour  and  Redeemer 
of  mankind ;  then  by  the  voice  of  the  other,  that  the  same  Jeho- 
vah did  actually  descend  under  the  name  of  Emmanuel,  or  God 
WITH  us,  when  Jesus  the  Christ  was  born  of  a  virgin:  .and 
thus  jointly  and  unanimously,  that  the  Divinity  and  the  Humani- 
ty, when  united  in  one  person,  as  they  were  in  the  person  of  Je- 
sus, became  that  Saviour  and  Redeemer,  who  had  been  so  long 
promised  and  expected,  and  who  is  at  length  acknowledged  in  his 
church  below,  as  he  is  also  in  his  heaven  above,  to  be  "  Alpha 
'•  and  Omega,  the  beginning  and  the  ending,  the  first  and  the  last, 
"  who  was,  who  is,  and  who  is  to  come,  the  Almighty." 

Another  argument  for  the  sole  and  exclusive  divinity  of  Jesus, 
perhaps  equally  strong  with  that  which  we  liave  just  now  been 
advancing,  arises  from  the  question,  which  he  in  his  turn  put  to 
his  inquisitive  adversaries.  "  The  baptism  of  John,  whence  was 
"  it .'  from  heaven,  or  of  men  .-"'  At  first  sight  it  may  appear,  as 
if  this  new  subject  had  little  or  no  reference  to  the  point,  concern- 
ing which  they  had  been  inquiring :  for  what,  it  may  possibly  be 
asked,  could  the  baptism  of  John,  who  was  now  dead,  have  to  do 
with  the  authority,  by  which  Jesus  acted .''  Or  why  should  any 
answer,  which  the  priests  might  give  to  this  question,  furnish  a 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  127 

proper  ground  for  tlie  reply  of  Jesus  to  that,  which  was  first 
proposed  to  him  ?  Conjectures  of  this  kind  may  arise,  and  may 
be  uselessly  multiplied,  until  we  turn  our  attention  to  the  true 
meaning  and  design  of  the  baptism  of  John. 

John  was  sent  into  the  world  for  the  express  purpose  of 
preparing  the  way  for  the  advent  of  Jehovah  God;  on  which 
account  it  is  vvritten  in  the  prophet  Malachi, "  Behold,  I  will  send 
^' my  messenger,  and  he  shall  prepare  the  ivay  before  me;  and 
"  the  Lord,  whom  ye  seek,  shall  suddenly  come  to  his  temple. 
"  But  who  may  abide  the  day  of  his  coming  ^  and  who  sliall  stand 
"  when  he  appeareth  ?"  chap.  iii.  1,  2.  Again,  "  Behold,  I  will 
"  send  you  Elijah  the  prophet,  before  the  coming  of  the  great  and 
"  dreadful  day  of  Jehovah.  And  he  shall  turn  the  heart  of  the 
"  fathers  to  the  children,  and  the  heart  of  the  children  to  their 
"  fathers,  lest  I  come  and  smite  the  earth  with  a  curse,"  chap.  iv. 
5,  6."  Zacharias  also,  prophesying  of  his  son  Jolin,  saith,  "  And 
"  thou,  child,  shalt  be  called  the  prophet  of  the  Highest ;  for  thou 
"  shalt  go  before  the  face  of  the  Lord,  to  prepare  his  xcays^'''' 
Luke  i.  76.  And  Jesus  himself  saith  of  John,  "  This  is  he,  of 
"  whom  it  is  written.  Behold,  I  send  my  messenger  before  thy 
"  face,  which  shall  prepare  the  way  before  thee,''''  Luke  vii.  27. 

The  reason  likewise  why  he  was  sent  to  prepare  the  way  of  Jeho- 
vah, both  by  baptism,  and  by  the  annunciation  of  his  immediate 
advent,  was,  because  otherwise  the  earth  would  have  been  smit- 
ten with  a  curse,  Mai.  iv.  6  :  for  the  immediate  presence  of  Je- 
hovah, even  in  the  Humanity,  cannot  be  endured  by  the  church, 
except  under  a  deep  sense  of  humiliation  or  self-abasement,  and 
at  the  same  time  of  sincere  repentance.  This  impending  curse 
was  averted  by  the  baptism  of  John,  which  was  a  baptism  of  re- 
pentance. "  Repent,"'  saith  he,  ^'■for  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is 
"  at  hand"  Matt.  iii.  3.  Mark  i.  4.  Luke  iii.  3.  And  when  John 
gives  his  testimony  concerning  Jesus,  ire  does  it  in  language, 
which  cannot  well  be  misunderstood.  To  those,  who  were  sent 
to  ask  him,  "  Who  art  thou  ?"  he  answered,  "  I  am  the  voice  of 
"  one  crying  in  the  wilderness.  Make  straight  the  ivay  of  the. 
«  Lord,  as  said  the  prophet  Esaias,"  John  i.  23  :  which  same. 
Lord  is  by  the  prophet,  chap.  xl.  3,  expressly  declared  to  be  Je- 


128  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

HovAH  oun  God.  But  John  continues  r  "  I  baptize  with  water: 
"but  there  standeth  One  among  you,  whom  ye  know  not:  he  it 
*<  is,  who  coming  after  me,  is  preferred  before  me,  whose  shoe- 
"  latchet  J  am  not  worthy  to  unloose.  But  that  he  should  be  made 
"  manifest  to  Israel,  therefore  am  I  come  baptizing  with  water,'* 
John  i.  26,  Sr,  31.  Again,  He  must  increase^  but  I  must  decrease. 
"  He  that  cometh  from  abovPy  is  above  all :  he  tliat  is  of  the 
'*  earth,  is  earthly,  and  speaketh  of  the  eartli :  he  that  cometh 
^^from  heaven,  is  above  all,^^  John  iii.  30,  31. 

From  all  these  considerations,  well  digested,  it  is  now  most 
evident,  that  John  was  the  precursor  of  Jehovah  in  the  flesh  : 
and  as  he  constantly  directed  his  hearers  to  Jesus,  and  to  no  other 
Being,  baptizing  them  externally  with  water,  that  they  might 
afterwards  be  baptized  internally  with  the  Holy  Spirit  and  with 
fire,  it  is  equally  plain,  that,  while  he  was  thus  preparing  the  ivay 
of  Jesus,  he  considered  that  he  was  at  the  same  time  preparing 
tlie  way  of  Jehovah,  and  thereby  fulfilling  the  great  end  of  his 
mission. 

And  this  leads  us  to  perceive  with  what  justice  and  propriety 
the  Lord  propounded  to  the  chief  priests  and  elders  of  the  peo- 
ple the  question  concerning  the  baptism  of  John.  For  it  is  so  in- 
timately connected  with  their  previous  inquiry,  as  to  the  right 
and  authority  by  which  he  acted,  that  whosoever  has  an  under- 
standing to  comprehend  the  one.  can  be  at  no  loss  to  solve  the 
other  also.  A  direct  answer  by  Jesus  to  the  first  question  would, 
as  before  observed,  have  been  to  the  Jews  his  enemies  a  too  pre- 
cipitate introduction  into  that  great  truth,  which  they  could  not 
as  yet  admit,  of  his  being  the  Supreme  God,  Jehovah  Himself  : 
he  therefore  refers  them  to  the  consideration  of  a  preliminary 
truth,  the  baptism  of  John,  which,  if  viewed  in  it's  proper  light, 
and  compared  with  the  prophetic  Word,  might  gradually  prepare 
them  for  the  other  more  interior  and  more  direct  knowledge  of 
himself,  who,  as  God  manifested  in  tlie  flesh,  is  at  once  the  Crea- 
tor, the  Redeemer,  and  the  Saviour  of  mankind. 

Thus  with  open  eyes  we  see,  that  the  baptism  of  John  was  not, 
and  could  not  possibly  have  been,  of  men,  but  from  heaven  ;  be- 
cause it  does  what  no  human  power  or  authority  can  effect  j  it 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  129 

prepares  the  mind  for  the  advent  of  him,  who  came  down  from 
heaven,  John  iii.  31  ;  chap.  vi.  51 ;  of  him,  who  needeth  not,  and 
receiveth  not,  either  testimony  or  honour  from  man,  John  v.  34, 
41 :  and  further,  because  he,  who  is  the  door,  the  way,  the  truths 
and  the  life,  can  alone  lead,  by  the  baptism  of  repentance,  and 
by  a  genuine  faith,  to  the  acknowledgment  and  love  of  himself, 
who  hath  all  power  and  all  authority  both  in  heaven  and  on  earth. 
Matt,  xxviii.  18  ;  and  consequently  who  is  from  first  to  last  the 
sole  mover,  conductor,  and  finisher  of  salvation. 

Him  therefore,  and  Him  alone,  namely  the  Divine  Man  Jesus 
Christ,  do  we  hail  as  the  One  blessed,  and  for  ever  to  be  adored 
God  of  the  Universe  !  His  name  alone  do  we  bear  on  our 
standards,  on  our  foreheads,  and  in  our  hearts  ;  while  with  shout- 
ings, acclamations,  and  incessant  glorifications,  we  proclaim  and 
crown  him  Lord  of  all  ! 


[42.]  Matt.  xxi.  42.  «  Jesus  saith  unto  them,  Did  ye  never 
'^'  read  in  the  Scriptures,  The  Stone,  which  the  builders  rejected, 
"  the  same  is  become  the  Head  of  the  corner :  this  is  the  Lord's 
'•  doing,  and  it  is  marvellous  in  our  eyes  .^"  See  also  Mark  xii. 
10,  11.  Luke  XX.  17.  Ps.  cxviii.  22,  23. 


No  one,  at  all  acquainted  with  the  language  of  the  Sacred 
Scriptures,  can  for  a  moment  doubt,  that  by  the  /S^ione  here  allud- 
ed to  is  meant  the  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  who  in  other 
places  Is  called  a  Rock,  the  Rock  of  Israel,  the  Rock  of  refuge, 
the  Rock  of  salvation,  &c.*  But  perhaps  there  are  many,  who 
have  not  duly  considered  what  is  to  be  understood  by  the  build- 

*  Among  the  Jews  indeed,  who  of  all  men  are  perhaps  the  most  sensual 
and  gross  m  their  ideas  concerning  the  Word,  it  was  a  tradition,  that,  by  the 
builders  of  the  second  temple,  a  certain  stone  was  thrown  aside  among  the 
rubbish,  which  was  afterwards  found  to  be  exactly  adapted  for  the  chief 
corner-stone.  But  such  literal  application  of  the  passage,  without  a  higher 
sense,  can  surely  never  be  considered  as  worthy  to  be  ranked  among  the 
proofs  of  the  miraculous  works  of  Jehovah. 

R 


130  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

crs  rejecting  that  Stone,  what  by  it's  becoming  the  Head  ot  the 
corner,  and  why  this  is  said  to  be  the  work  of  the  Lord,  or  of 
Jehovah,  and  at  the  same  time  matter  of  astonishment  to  all 
who  have  eyes  or  understandings  to  discern  it.  We  will  there- 
fore distinctly,  but  briefly,  examine  these  very  important  points. 

The  builders  are  all  they,  who  by  their  doctrines  and  instruc- 
tions endeavour  to  form  or  build  up  the  church,  either  among  iu-> 
dividuals,  or  among  societies.  Among  the  Jews  they  were  the 
priests,  the  elders,  the  Pharisees,  the  public  readers,  and  in  ge- 
neral all  who  were  engaged  in  the  office  of  teaching  and  in- 
structing others.  Among  Christians  they  are  the  clergy  or  teach- 
ing ministers  of  all  denominations  ;  and  it  matters  not  whether 
they  take  tlie  name  of  Catholics  according  to  their  several  orders, 
or  of  Protestants  and  Ileformed  according  to  their  many  sub- 
divisions, sects,  and  parties,  distinguished  as  they  are  by  articles 
of  faith,  which  are  either  established  or  only  tolerated  by  the  civil 
power. 

That  the  Stone  of  divine  truth  was  rejected  by  the  Jewish 
builders,  when  they  refused  to  acknowledge  Jesus  as  their  Mes- 
siah, and  especially  when  they  took  him,  and  bound  him,  and 
scourged  him,  and  mocked  him,  and  smote  him,  and  at  l^st  cru- 
cified him,  will  not  be  denied  by  any  who  profess  to  believe  and 
to  reverence  the  history  contained  in  the  Gospels.  But  that  he  has 
been,  and  at  this  day  still  is,  in  like  manner,  though  spiritually  to 
be  understood,  bound,  scourged,  mocked,  smitten,  and  even  cru- 
cified, that  is  to  say,  rejected,  and  his  divinity  either  totally  de- 
nied, or  else  frittered  away  by  being  divided  among  two  other 
persons  besides  himself,  said  to  be  co-equal  and  co-eternal  with 
him  in  majesty,  glory,  and  divinity,  is  a  fact,  which,  though 
most  evident  in  itself,  yet  requires  to  be  held  up  to  public  view, 
because  many  (it  is  to  be  supposed)  are  not  at  all  aware  of  the 
charge,  which  they  have  incurred,  and  of  the  great  indignity^ 
which  they  daily  offer  to  the  person  and  character  of  Jesus 
Christ. 

It  is  true,  these  builders  will  speak  of  him  as  their  Saviour 
and  their  Redeemer  ;  they  will  even  with  their  lips  celebrate  and 
magnify  him  for  what  they  suppose  he  has  done  and  suffered  in 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  131 

their  behalf;  and  at  times,  when  they  lose  sight  of  the  Father^ 
who  is  tlie  chief  object  of  their  worship  and  their  dread,  a  sense 
of  gratitude  to  the  Son  will  bi'eak  out  into  something  that  reseni' 
bles  worship.  Yet  who  cannot  see,  that  in  all  this  they  still  con- 
sider Jesus,  or  the  Son,  as  inferior  to  the  Father,  and  so  entirely 
distinct  from  liirn,  that  the  worship  of  the  one  detracts  from,  and 
militates  against,  the  worship  of  the  other;  until  at  last  it  is 
scarcely  known  which  of  them  ought  to  be  addressed  first,  and 
which  last,  lest  the  other  should  peradventure  take  umbrage,  and 
suft'er  his  jealousy  to  be  awakened  either  against  his  fellow-god^ 
or  against  the  deluded  but  perhaps  sincere  petitioner.  In  either 
case,  inasmuch  as  the  worship  is  divided  between  two  or  more,  it 
becomes  an  empty,  vain,  contradictory,  and  even  idolatrous  wor- 
ship.    Babel  is  it's  name,  and  confusion  is  it's  language. 

Thus  he,  who  alone  is  the  Rock  of  ages,  the  Corner-stone  of 
the  church,  the  Word  of  divine  truth  itself,  presented  to  us  un- 
der the  form  of  a  Divine  Man,  is  either  rejected  or  neglected  by 
the  builders  at  large,  not  by  a  few  solitary  individuals  among 
them,  but  by  whole  societies  and  nations  at  a  time,  by  assemblies 
and  convocations,  synods  and  councils,  popes,  cardinals,  bishops, 
priests,  and  presbyters,  in  all  their  public  acts,  their  established 
or  non-established  forms  and  declarations  of  faith,  and  indeed  ia 
almost  every  part  of  their  solemnities,  offices,  and  devotions, 
however  sanctified,  or  however  heavenly  they  may  outwardly  ap- 
pear. And  what  is  wonderful,  although  these  said  builders  are 
in  many  points  at  variance  with  each  other,  one  pulling  down 
what  his  neighbour  is  endeavouring  to  raise  up,  yet  in  one  thing 
they  are  all  agreed,  and  unanimously  concur,  (as  Pilate  and  He- 
rod did,  when  they  vvere  made  friends  together  on  a  similar  oc- 
casion, Luke  xxiii.  12.)  and  that  is,  in  refusing  to  acknowledge 
Jesus  Christ  alone  as  the  Head  of  the  corner,  in  other  words, 
as  the  sole  God  of  the  church,  as  the  single  and  exclusive  Object 
of  their  faith,  their  love,  and  their  adoration. 

As  a  consolation,  however,  to  the  real  church,  in  the  midst  of 
this  desolation  and  spiritual  calamity,  whereby  it  has  come  to 
pass,  that  "  not  one  stone  of  the  temple  is  left  upon  another,''"'  but 
the  whole  is  demolished,  we  have  the  promiae  of  the  Lord  in  Mb 


I3ii  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OV 

Word,  that  his  temple  shall  be  re-built,  and  himself  acknowled"^ 
ed  as  the  Head  of  the  corner.  "  Therefore  thus  saith  the  Lokd 
**  Jehovih,  Behold,  I  lay  in  Zion,  for  a  foundation,  a  Stone,  a  tri- 
"  ed  Stone,  a  precious  Corner-stone,  a  s^ire  foundation,'^  Isa. 
"  xxviii.  16.  Jehovah  of  hosts  hath  visited  his  flock:  out  of  him 
*'  came  forth  the  Corner-stone,''''  Zech.  x.  3,  4.  This  is  that  Stone 
"  of  divine  truth,  (i.  e.  the  Divine  Humanity  of  Jesus,  called  the 
Son^  cut  out  without  hands,  (i.  e.  proceeding  from  the  divine 
good,  or  essential  divinity,  called  the  Father,)  which  smote  the 
image  of  Nebuchadnezzar  upon  his  feet  that  were  of  iron  and 
clay,  and  brake  them  to  pieces ;  (i.  e.  which  exposed  and  dispers- 
ed those  falses  of  doctrine  and  worship,  which  have  so  long  be- 
wildered and  desolated  the  churcU ;)  that  Stone,  which  after- 
wards became  a  great  rock  or  mountain,  and  filled  the  whole 
earth :  (i.  e.  which  is  at  length  acknowledged  as  the  one  only 
source  of  divine  truth  and  divine  good  in  the  church,  and  which 
is  now  set  up  in  the  heart  of  every  true  believer,  who  confesses 
and  adores  his  God  under  the  form  of  a  Divine  Man.)  See  Dan. 
ii.  34,  35,  45  ;  chap.  vii.  13,  14. 

That  this  Stone  is  both  Jehovah  and  Jesus,  or  Divinity  and 
Humanity  together,  is  plain  from  a  comparison  of  the  preceding 
and  the  following  passages.  "  Sanctify  Jehovah  of  hosts  him- 
"  self,  and  let  him  be  your  fear,  and  let  him  be  your  dread.  And 
"  he  shall  be  for  a  sanctuary  ;  but  for  a  Stone  of  stumbling,  and 
"  for  a  Rock  of  offence,  to  both  the  houses  of  Israel,  and  for  a 
"  gin,  and  for  a  snare  to  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem.  And 
"  many  among  them  shall  stumble,  and  fall,  and  be  broken,''^  Isa. 
viii.  13  to  15.  "  The  Stone,  which  the  builders  rejected,  the 
"  same  is  becoinc  the  Head  of  the  corner.  And  whosoever  shall 
^'fall  on  this  Stone,  shall  be  broken:  but  on  whomsoever  it  shall 
"  fall,  it  will  grind  him  to  poivder,''^  Matt.  xxi.  42,  44.  "  Who 
"  is  God,  save  Jehovah  ?  and  who  is  a  Rock,  save  our  God  .►*" 
2  Sam.  xxii.  32.  Ps.  xviii.  31.  "  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Stone, 
"  which  was  set  at  nought  of  you  builders,'  which  is  become  the 
"  Head  of  the  corner:  neither  is  there  salvation  in  any  other," 
Acts  iv.  11,  12. 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  135 

Thus  we  sec,  that  in  the  Old  Testament  Jehovah  hims&lf  is 
most  distinctly  and  expressly  declared  to  be  a  Stone,  and  a  Rockn 
of  defence  and  salvation  to  the  righteous,  but  of  stumbling  and 
offence  to  the  unrighteous.  The  same  is  likewise  said  of  Jesus 
in  the  New  Testament,  and  expressed  in  such  plain  and  decisive 
terms,  tliat  it  is  really  a  wonder  how  the  builders  could  have 
overlooked  the  coincidence  of  language  flowing  so  unanimously 
from  the  mouth  of  Prophets,  Evangelists,  and  Apostles.  But  now 
seeing,  as  we  do,  the  Scriptures  in  a  new  light,  and  observing  the 
harmony  of  their  testimony,  when  they  are  all  referred  to  one 
and  the  same  incarnate  God,  that  is,  to  our  Lord  and  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ  as  Jehovah  in  the  Humanity,  we  cannot  but  re- 
joice in  perceiving,  that  the  foundation  of  the  new  temple  is  al- 
ready laid ;  that  the  first  stone  of  the  building,  having  seven  eyes 
engraven  upon  it,  Zech.  iii.  9 ;  chap.  iv.  10,  is  a  pledge  and  secu- 
rity, that  the  superstructure  will  be  raised  and  conducted  by  In- 
finite Wisdom  ;  and  that  in  due  time  the  head  -stone  thereof  shall 
be  brought  forth  with  shoutings  and  acclamations  of  joy,  Zech. 
iv.  7.  For  we  are  convinced,  that,  notwithstanding  the  external 
splendor  and  glory  of  the  former  house  or  church,  notwithstand- 
ing the  pomp  of  it's  processions,  the  apparent  solemnity  of  it's 
religious  ceremonies,  and  tlie  honour  or  wealth  which  it  may  de- 
rive from  any  worldly  institution,  still  "  the  glory  of  this  latter 
"  house  will  be  greater  than  that  of  the  former,"  Hag.  ii.  9 ;  be- 
cause he,  who  is  "  the  desire  of  all  nations,"  is  actually  come 
unto  it,  and  will  fill  it  with  the  glory  of  his  presence  for  ever. 

Having  now  seen  what  is  meant  by  the  builders  rejecting  the 
Stone,  which  yet  is  become  the  Head  of  the  corner,  not  indeerl 
in  the  old  temple,  but  in  tlie  new  one,  it  only  remains  to  be  ob- 
served, that  the  great  work  of  re-building  tlie  temple,  and  con- 
stituting Him  for  the  Head  of  the  corner,  who  is  in  truth  the 
Head  of  the  church  universal,  is  not  the  fruit  of  human  labour, 
or  the  result  of  any  doctrines  invented  by  man,  but  clearly,  ac- 
cording to  the  uniform  testimony  of  revelation,  the  effect  of  the 
divine  love  and  the  divine  wisdom  united.  For,  as  the  Psalmist 
observes,  "  Except  Jehovah  hdld  the  house,  they  labour  in  vain 
«  that  build  it,"   Ps.  cxxvii.   I,     Therefore  David  again  savs, 


134  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

'•  Do  good  ill  thy  good-pleasure  unto  Zion  (O  God :)  build  thoit 
<•  the  ivalls  of  Jerusalem,^-  Ps.  li.  18.  In  the  supreme  sense,  the 
Budy  of  Jesus,  or  in  other  words,  the  Divine  Hiimmiity  of  Je- 
hovah, is  the  temple  so  much  spoken  of  in  the  Sacred  Scriptures. 
It  is  that,  to  which  the  prophet  Malachi  refers,  when  he  says, 
"  The  Lord,  whom  ye  seek,  shall  suddenly  come  to  his  templey'* 
chap.  iii.  1.  David  had  the  same  in  view,  when  he  said,  "  Je- 
'*  HovAH  is  in  his  holy  temple,"  Ps.  xi.  4:  and  likewise  when 
"  he  sware  unto  Jehovah,  and  vowed  unto  the  mighty  God  of 
"  Jacob,  Surely  I  will  not  come  into  the  tabernacle  of  my  house, 
"  nor  go  up  into  my  bed ;  I  will  not  give  sleep  to  mine  eyes,  or 
"  slumber  to  mine  eye-lids;  until  I  find  out  a  place  for  Jeho- 
"  VAH,  an  habitation  for  the  mighty  God  of  Jacob.  Lo,  we  heard 
"of  it  (Him*)   a.t  Ephratah  ;  {ad.  Bethlehem,  where  Jesus  was 


*  The  Hebrew  word,  or  rather  letter  H,  here  and  in  our  common  English 
bibles  translated  it,  may  in  this  place  with  great  propriety  be  rendered  Him, 
because  it  evidently  refers  to  the  Lord:  for  the  original  will  bear  either  a 
masculine,  a  feminine,  or  a  neuter  interpretation,  according  to  the  nature  of 
the  subject  treated  of.  If  translated  Him,  in  such  case  the  reference  is  un- 
derstood to  be  to  the  Lord  as  a  person,  m  ho  was  born  in  Bethlehem :  and  if 
translated  it,  the  reference  must  then  be  to  the  divine  truth  discoverable  in 
the  Sacred  Scriptures,  which  are  the  fields  of  the  wood.  In  either  case  it 
amounts  to  the  same  thing,  because  the  Lord  as  a  divine  persoii,  and  his 
Word  as  the  divine  truth,  are  ever  to  be  identified  as  One. 

It  may  be  proper  to  add  here,  (because  the  information  is  not  to  be  found 
in  the  Hebrew  Grammars,  which  were  compiled  long  after  the  language  was 
in  it's  perfection,  and  consequently  when  the  I'eason  of  many  of  it's  peculia- 
rities escaped  the  notice  of  the  grammarians,)  that  the  letter  H,  above  men- 
tioned, is  taken  from  the  name  Jah  or  Jehovah,  and  that,  when  interfixed  or 
affixed  to  a  word  which  has  refereiice  to  the  Lord,  it  denotes  injtnity  and 
eternity,  as  in  the  representative  cases  of  AbraAam  and  SaraA  ;  see  Emanuel 
Swedenborg's  Arcana  Caleetia,  n.  2010,  2063,  4594.  But  not  only  does  the 
letter  H,  as  an  aspirate,  when  taken  from  the  name  Jehovah,  involve  what 
is  infinite,  eternal,  and  thus  divine;  but  it  also,  as  before  observed,  in  such 
ca.sesadmitsof  amascT^rtne  construction,  although  in  general  it  is  the  sign  of 
Xhe  feminine  gender.  This  is  evidently  the  case  in  that  remarkable  passage, 
Jer.  xxxiii.  16;  where  it  appears,  that  the  city  Jenisulem  is  to  be  called  Je- 
hovah ovR  RiGHTEousjiEss,  though  in  the  proper  and  primary  sense  that 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  135 

«'  born ;)  we  found  it  (Him)  in  the  fields  of  the  wood.  We  will 
"  go  into  his  tabernacles,  we  will  worship  at  his  footstool,"  Ps. 
cxxxii.  2  to  7.  And  when  Jesus  said  to  the  Jews,  "  Destroy 
•'  this  temple^  and  in  three  days  I  will  raise  it  up,"  it  is  added, 
that  "  he  spake  of  the  temple  of  his  body,''^  John  ii.  19  to  21. 
John  also  in  the  Apocalypse,  after  describing  the  holy  city.  New 
Jerusalem,  as  to  it's  dimensions,  it's  gates,  it's  walls,  and  it's 
foundations,  says,  "  And  I  saw  no  temple  therein ;  for  the  Lord 
"  God  dlmighty  and  the  Lamb  are  the  temple  of  it,'^'  chap, 
xxi.  22. 

From  all  these  considerations  it  is  plain,  that  the  Supreme  God 
Jehovah,  by  his  full  and  perfect  union  with  that  body,  which  he 
had  prepared  and  assumed  for  himself,  did  constitute  the  same 
to  be  not  only  his  own  temple,  habitation,  and  eternal  residence, 
but  also  the  Corner-stone  of  that  spiritual  building  his  church, 
against  which  the  gates  of  hell  shall  never  prevail.  Hence  all 
who  acknowledge  and  worship  the  Saviour  himself  as  the  in- 
carnate God,  or  as  Jehovah  visible  in  a  Divine  Human  Form, 
perceiving  from  the  Word,  that  the  great  end  of  his  love,  name- 
ly, the  salvation  and  final  happiness  of  the  human  race,  can  in 
this  and  in  no  other  way  be  accomplished,  will,  from  a  contem- 
plation and  holy  admiration  of  the  wonders  of  redemption,  be  led 
to  exclaim  in  the  language  of  heaven,  "  The  Stone,  which  the 
"  builders  rejected,  the  same  is  become  the  Head  of  the  corner : 
'^^  this  is  the  Lord's  doing,  and  it  is  marvellous  in  our  eyes.'''* 


[43.]  Matt.  xxii.  41  to  46.  "  While  the  Pharisees  were  ga- 
"  thered  together,  Jesus  asked  them,  saying.  What  think  ye  of 
"Christ.''  whose  Son  is  he  ?  They  say  unto  him.  The  Son  of 
"  David.  He  saith  unto  them.  How  then  doth  David  in  spirit  call 
"  him  Lord,  saying.  The  Lord  said  unto  my  Lord,  Sit  thou  on 
«  my  right  hand,  till  I  make  thine  enemies  thy  footstool  ?  If  Da- 
name  belongs  only  to  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jestjs  Chbtst.  A  note  on  this 
subject  will  be  given  under  article  9^. 


ISti  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

"viti  then  call  him  Lord,  how  is  he  his  Son  ?  And  no  man  was 
*■•  able  to  answer  him  a  vvorel ;  neither  durst  any  man  from  that  day 
"  forth  ask  him  any  more  questions."  See  also  Mark  xii.  35  to 
37.  Luke  xx.  41  to  44.  Ps.  ex.  1. 


If  ever  a  question  was  proposed,  calculated  in  an  instant  to 
confound  the  mere  reasoner,  the  calculator  of  genealogies,  or  the 
idolizer  of  his  own  understanding,  and  yet  at  the  same  time  to 
lead  the  humble  mind  from  earthly  to  heavenly  sentiments,  this 
is  that  question,  so  unexpectedly  stated  by  our  Lord,  and  so  mi- 
serably treated  by  his  adversaries.  The  preliminary  query, 
'•What  think  ye  of  Christ  ?  whose  Son  is  he  .^"  they  knew 
well  enough  how  to  answer,  because  their  prophets  had  already 
furnished  them  with  words  and  expressions  for  the  purpose. 
''  There  sliall  come  forth  a  JRoc?  out  of  the  stem  of  Jesse,  and  a 
"  Branch  shall  grow  out  of  his  roots  ;  and  the  spirit  of  Jehovah 
"  shall  rest  upon  him,"  Isa.  xi.  1,  2.  *'  Behold,  the  days  come, 
"  saith  Jehovah,  that  I  will  raise  unto  David  a  righteous  Branchy 
'•  and  a  King  shall  reign  and  prosper,  and  shall  execute  judgment 
"  and  justice  in  the  earth,"  Jer.  xxiii.  5  ;  chap,  xxxiii.  15.  "  I 
"have  made  a  covenant  with  my  chosen,  I  have  sworn  unto  Da- 
*'  vid  my  servant,  Thy  seed  will  I  establish  for  ever,  and  build 
"  up  thy  throne  to  all  generations,"  Ps.  Ixxxix.  3,  4,  35,  36.  "  Je- 
"  HOVAH  hath  sworn  in  truth  %nto  David,  he  will  not  turn  from 
'•  it,  Of  the  fruit  of  thy  body  will  I  set  upon  thy  throne,"  Ps. 
cxxxii.  11. 

From  tliese  and  similar  passages  in  the  Word  of  the  Old  Tes- 
tament they  concluded,  that  the  Messiah  or  Christ,  whenso- 
ever he  should  make  his  appearance  in  the  world,  would  be  of 
the  house  and  family  of  David,  and  lineally  descended  from  him. 
They  therefore  found  no  difficulty  in  replying  to  that  part  of  our 
Lord's  inquiry,  and  immediately  gave  him  for  answer,  that 
Christ  is  tlie  San  of  David.  But  when  he  appealed  to  the  book 
of  Psalms,  where  David  himself  writes,  '•  Jehovah  said  unto  my 
"  Lord,  Sit  thou  at  my  right  hand,  until  I  make  thine  enemies 
"  thy  footstool,"  ex.  1,  and  required  of  them  an  explanation  how 
Christ  could  be  the  Son  nf  David,  and  yet  at  the  same  time 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  ISf 

JkiviiVs  Ijokd;  having  no  conception  how  these  two  distinct 
characters  could  meet  in  one  person,  or  on  what  principle  it  was 
that  DaviiVs  Sox  should  be  also  called  DavidPs  Lord,  (which 
even  in  their  view,  who  acknowledged  no  earthly  king  superior 
to  David,  must  have  been  the  same  thing  as  calling  him  Lord  of 
the  unicerse,)  they  were  utterly  confounded  by  the  question,  and 
virtually  confessed  their  total  ignorance  of  the  subject  by  their 
silence.  Not  one  of  them  was  able  to  answer  him  a  word  :  but 
perhaps  suspecting,  that,  if  further  discussion  were  to  take  place, 
they  would  themselves  be  plainly  convicted  of  wilful  perversion 
or  misinterpretation  of  those  passages,  which  refer  to  the  Mes- 
siah ;  and  being  unwilling,  as  their  descendants  at  this  day  like- 
wise are,  to  acknowledge  him  in  any  other  character  than  that  of 
a  mere  man  ;  they  were  disposed  to  wave  the  subject,  and  still 
remain  in  their  inlidelity. 

We  have  already,  in  a  preceding  article,  (No.  33,)  so  fully 
explained  the  distinction  between  David's  Son  and  David's 
Lord,  or  between  the  injlrm  humanity  of  Jesus,  which  he  re- 
ceived from  the  mother,  and  the  Divine  Humanity  derived  from 
the  Father  Jehovah,  that  it  would  be  an  unnecessary  waste  of 
time  to  repeat  all  that  was  there  advanced.  We  shall  therefore 
«nly  observe  in  this  place,  that  as  to  his  maternal  humanity  he 
was  truly  the  descendant  of  David  ;  but  as  to  his  Paternal  Hu- 
manity he  was  neither  the  Son  of  David  nor  of  Mary,  but  of  Je- 
hovah alone.  In  the  former  respect  he  is  called  the  Son  of  Da', 
vid,  but  in  the  latter  respect  the  Son  of  God,  And  as  he  wa^ 
continually  in  the  eftbrt  of  putting  off  the  one,  that  he  might  be 
wholly  and  solely  in  the  other,  therefore  we  find,  that  he  never 
acknowledged  himself  to  be  the  Son  of  Mary,  and,  in  the  pas- 
sage now  under  consideration,  that  he  indirectly  refuses  to  be 
called  the  Son  of  David, 

For  what  purpose  could  these  distinctions  be  so  repeatedly  and 
so  plainly  held  up  to  view  in  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  if  they  were 
never  to  be  understood,  and  thereby  to  form  the  very  basis  of  a 
rational  faith  }  Revelation  points  the  way,  and  we  humbly  follow 
it's  light  by  the  free  exercise  of  those  faculties,  which  our  God 
Ras  seen  fit  to  implant  within  us.     May  they  ever  be  directed  to 


> 


138  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

his  honour,  to  the  exaltation  of  liis  name,  and  to  the  enlargement 
of  his  kingdom ! 

Nothing  can  be  more  evident,  than  that  the  Lord  was  perfectly 
aware  of  the  two  distinct  points  of  view,  under  which  his  Huma- 
nity was  capable  of  being  seen ;  and  of  the  extreme  difficulty, 
whicli  the  natural  man  has  to  encounter,  when  he  attempts 
to  form  a  judgment  of  divine  things  from  the  testimony  of  his 
bodily  senses  alone,  or  from  the  mere  science  and  light  of  this 
world.  He  knew  that  the  Messiah  was  expected  by  the  Jewish 
nation,  and  that  they  regarded  him  as  the  descendant  of  David, 
because  the  Scriptures  in  some  parts,  and  their  own  traditions  in 
general,  had  so  described  him.  He  knew  also,  that  the  same 
Scriptures  in  other  parts  had  represented  t!ie  expected  Christ  as 
of  higher  descent  than  that  of  mere  humanity,  and  that  David 
himself  must  bow  down  to  him  as  to  liis  omnipotent  Lord.  But 
perceiving  that  the  Jews  wsve  tlien,  and  that  Christians  would  be 
in  future  times,  more  disposed  to  abide  in  those  external  views  of 
the  Messiah,  which  present  him  as  a  mere  man  like  themselves, 
than  to  embrace  the  more  elevated  ideas  suggested  by  the  inter- 
nal sense  of  the  Word  ;  and  being  also  willing  to  lead  them,  in  a 
way  best  adapted  to  their  states  of  mind,  to  a  more  interior  con- 
sideration of  the  subject;  the  Lord  proposed  a  theological  ques- 
tion from  their  own  records,  whicli,  if  fairly,  lionestly,  and  ma- 
turely examined,  can  receive  no  other  rational  solution,  than  that 
which  we  have  already  submitted  to  the  candid  and  judicious 
reader.  Yet  whether  from  a  sense  of  their  complete  ignorance 
of  the  subject,  (as  before  observed,)  or  from  a  secret  dislike  to 
the  tendency  of  the  question,  Avhich  was  evidently  to  correct  their 
mistaken  notions  of  the  real  character  and  dignity  of  the  ^Ies- 
siAH  or  Christ,  we  find  that  the  Pharisees  of  old  were  speech- 
less on  the  occasion,  and  totally  unable  to  answer  him  a  word. 

But  will  tlie  Pharisees  of  modern  times  be  content  to  submit 
to  the  silence  imposed  upon  their  cavilling  predecessors  ?  Or  will 
they  indeed  admit,  tliat  the  Lord,  while  on  earth,  sustained  a 
two-fold  character,  the  one  as  JJavid''s  Son,  the  other  as  I)avid'.< 
Lord?  and  that  the  first  arose  from  his  state  of  humiliation,  in- 
firmity, and  mere  humanity  ;  the  other  from  his  state  of  glorift- 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  139 

cation,  omnipotence,  and  pure  divinity  ?  If  they  will  assent  to 
this  proposition,  they  may  then  comprehend,  in  a  rational  man- 
ner, how  and  why  it  was,  that  to  the  bulk  of  the  Jewish  nation, 
immersed  as  they  were  in  the  sensualities  of  life,  and  contemptu- 
ously ignorant  even  of  the  existence  of  a  spiritual  state,  the  Lord 
was  known  only  as  an  obscure  individual,  with  no  other  traits  of 
a  character  superior  to  that  of  others,  than  such  as  are  usually 
found  in  men  of  peaceable  and  pious  deportment.  They  may  also 
perceive  the  reason  why,  on  certain  occasions,  and  in  the  pre- 
sence of  certain  individuals,  he  assumed  a  divine  air  and  autho- 
rity plainly  inconsistent  with  any  condition  of  mere  humanity, 
and  alone  reconcileable  to  that  high  and  holy  character  of  Su- 
preme Sovereignty,  to  which  neither  angel  nor  man  can  dare  to 
aspire,  without  incurring  the  united  penalties,  as  well  as  the  ac- 
cumulated guilt,  of  extreme  impiety,  profanation,  blasphemy,  ar- 
rogance, and  unpardonable  presumption. 

Thus  keeping  distinctly  in  view  those  two  states,  and  charac- 
ters of  life,  which  the  Lord  was  pleased  to  assume,  and  alter- 
nately exhibit  to  man,  according  to  the  dictates  of  his  own  inscru- 
table wisdom,  the  great  difficulties  respecting  his  person,  his  ge- 
nealogy and  descent,  his  temptations,  glorification,  resurrection, 
and  ascension,  which  press  upon  the  mind  of  a  superficial  and  in- 
attentive observer,  may  be  completely  removed,  and  the  most  sa- 
tisfactory evidence  obtained  in  favour  of  his  exclusive  and  total 
divinity. 


[44.]  Matt,  xxiii.  34.  "  Behold,  /  send  unto  you  prophets, 
"  and  wise  men,  and  scribes  ;  and  some  of  them  ye  shall  kill  and 
"  crucify,  and  some  of  them  shall  ye  scourge  in  your  synagogues, 
"  and  persecute  from  city  to  city." 


Recollect,  reader,  who  it  is  that  speaks  in  this  style  of  autlio- 
rity,  who  it  is  that  claims  to  himself  the  privilege  and  the  power 
of  raising  up,  commissioning',  and  sending  into  the  world,  pro- 
phets, ivise  men,  and  scribes,  at  his  own  good  pleasure ;  and  at 


140  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

the  same  time  foresees,  that  they  will  be  persecuted,  scourged, 
crucified,  and  killed,  in  contempt  of  him  and  his  doctrine.  It  is 
no  other  than  Jesus,  who  yet  is  degraded,  by  some  who  profess 
to  be  his  disciples,  to  the  rank  of  a  mere  prophet  himself;  not 
perceiving,  that  he  who  sends  propliets,  must  also  inspire  them 
with  his  own  wisdom,  and  thereby  constitute  them  what  they  are; 
which  is  the  very  cliaracter  and  exclusive  prerogative  of  the  Su- 
preme God. 

Every  true  prophet  of  the  Old  Testament  uniformly  acknow- 
ledges, that  his  mission  and  authority  are  solely  derived  from 
Jehovah  ;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  Jehovah  acknowledges  tliem 
as  his  servants.  "  Surely  the  Lord  Jehovih  will  do  nothing, 
"  but  he  revealeth  his  secret  unto  his  servants  the  prophets,''''  Amos, 
iii.  7.  "  I  raised  up  of  your  sons  for  prophets,  and  of  your  young 
*'  men  for  Nazarites  :  is  it  not  even  thus,0  ye  children  of  Israel, 
*'  saith  Jehovah,"  Amos  ii.  11.  And  again,  Jehovah  our  God 
hath  sftirf,  "  Touch  not  mine  anointed,  and  do  my  projjhets  no 
"harm,"  Ps.  cv.  15. 

To  multiply  passages  to  the  same  effect,  cannot  be  required  ; 
because  it  will  scarcely  be  denied,  that  a  divine  message,  Wke  that 
of  prophecy,  must  have  a  Divine  Author.  But  in  this  case  Jesus 
thinks  it  no  arrogance  to  be  equal  with  God  ;  for  he  also  sends 
prophets,  and  wise  men,  and  scribes.  Nay,  what  is  more,  he  com- 
missions even  angels  to  perform  the  great  purposes  of  his  will, 
not  in  one  part  of  the  earth  only,  but  in  all  nations,  and  in  all 
places  throughout  the  universe.  "  The  Son  of  Man  shall  send 
"  his  a7igels  with  a  great  sound  of  a  trumpet,  and  they  shall  ga- 
"  ther  together  his  elect  from  the  four  winds, /ro»n  one  end  of  hea^ 
'^^  ven  to  the  other,^^  Matt.  xxiv.  31.  Mark  xiii.  27.  Again,  "  I 
"  Jesus  have  sent  mine  angel  to  testify  unto  you  these  things  in 
"  the  churches,''^  Apoq.  xxii.  16.  And  that  no  man  might  fail  to 
identify  Jesus  with  the  Supreme  God  himself,  that  is,  to  consid- 
er him  as  actually  and  personally  that  very  Being,  though  in  a 
human  form,  it  is  written  in  the  same  chapter,  '•  The  Lord  God 
"  of  the  holy  prophets  sent  his  angel  to  shew  unto  his  servaifts 
"'  the  things  which  must  shortly  be  done,"  ver.  6. 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  141 

Thus,  by  comparing  one  Scripture  with  another,  and  viewing 
tliem  in  heavenly  light,  according  to  the  true  intent  and  meaning 
of  their  Author,  that  great  truth,  the  identity  of  Jesus  with  Je- 
hovah, like  the  sun  itself  in  a  firmament  variegated  with  lucid 
and  shady  clouds,  '  ever  and  anon'  darts  it's  eiFulgence  on  th© 
eye  of  the  observer ;  then  for  a  short  moment  withdrawing  it's 
direct  beams,  it  again  and  again  breaks  out  with  renewed  and  in- 
creased lustre ;  until  the  whole  heaven  above,  and  the  whole 
earth  below,  are  filled  with  it's  unequalled  and  uninterrupted 
glorv. 


[45.]  Matt.  xxiv.  35.  "  Heaven  and  earth  shall  pass  away, 
''  but  my  words  shall  not  pass  awayj"  See  also  Mark  xiii.  31. 
Luke  xxi.  33. 


Before  we  enter  upon  this  extraordinary  passage,  let  us  for  a 
moment  indulge  a  thought  concerning  the  Great  Personage,  who 
uttered  such  divine  language.  Is  he  a  Man  }  or  is  he  a  God  ? 
"What  is  the  character  here  assumed  }  and  how  was  it  sustained  ? 
Let  us  pursue  the  subject:  it  will  enlighten,  it  will  bless  us  with 

the  knowledge  of  him,  whose  name  is  above  all  estimate. But 

alas!  he  is  not  believed;  his  words  are  rejected,  himself  is 
despised ! 

Not  only  did  the  Jews  seek  to  kill  Jesus,  because  he  declared, 
"  that  God  was  his  Father,  thus  making  himself  equal  with  God^*^ 
John  V.  18;  but  v/hen  they  heard  him  say  expressly,  "  I  and  my 
"  Father  are  One,''^  John  x.  30,  they  immediately  took  up  stones 
to  stone  him  for  what  they  conceived  to  be  no  less  than  blas- 
phemy:  and  this,  said  they,  we  do,  "  because  that  thou,  being  a 
"  Man,  makest  thyself  God,''^  ver.  33.  Here  is  the  charge  ;  That 
Jesus,  being,  as  they  thought,  a  mere  man,  yet  laid  in  his  claim 
to  be  reputed  God.  But  this  is  not  all  that  is  involved  in  the  ac- 
cusation :  a  more  interior,  and  a  more  extraordinary  process  is 
ialso  alluded  to,  (not  indeed  by  the  Jews  themselves?  but  by  the 
l^oly   Spirit  which  dictated  the  language   of  the  Evangelist,) 


142  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

namely,  the  actual  glorification  of  his  person,  which  is  the  same 
thing  as  the  unition  or  identification  of  himself  with  Jehovah 
the  Father  ;  and  this  is  plainly  expressed  in  the  very  terms  of 
the  charge  brought  against  him  :  "  We  stone  thee,  because  tliat 
"  thou,  being  a  Man,  inakest  tlujself  God.^^ 

Never  did  a  more  sublime  truth  strike  the  ear,  or  enter  the 
imagination  :  it  is  the  very  hinge,  or  central  point,  on  M'hich 
turns  and  rests  the  \vhole  of  the  Christian  revelation.  He,  who 
was  God,  became  Man  ;  and  he,  who  was  Man,  made  himself 
God!  Hence,  though  tlie  sentiment  appears  to  have  proceeded 
from  the  enemies  of  Jesus,  in  the  form  of  an  accusation  against 
him,  to  which  indeed  all  his  divine  words  and  works  were  equal- 
ly exposed,  he  neither  attempted  to  deny  nor  to  extenuate  the 
charge;  but  on  the  co\\iv?LYy  admitted  it  in  it's  full  force,  and,  af- 
ter reasoning  with  the  Jews  on  tlie  subject  in  the  way  of  explana- 
tion, he  actually  confii^ned  it  by  reference  to  his  divine  works, 
•which  lie  also  calls  the  works  of  his  Father :  "  If  I  do  not  the 
**  works  of  my  Father,  believe  me  not :  but  if  I  do,  though  ye 
"'  believe  not  me,  believe  tlie  icorks ;  that  ye  may  know  and  be- 
*'  lieve,  that  the  Father  is  in  me,  and  I  in  him,''"'  John  x.  37,  38. 
This  union  of  the  Father  with  Jesus,  or  of  the  Divinity  with 
the  Humanity,  is  what  is  meant  by  God  becoming  Man  ;  as,  on 
the  other  hand,  t\\s  reciprocal  union  of  Jesus  with  the  Father, 
or  of  the  Humanity  with  the  Divinity,  is  what  is  meant  by  Jesus 
makft'tg  himself  God. 

Reflections  like  these,  though  not  immediately  arising  out  of 
the  passage  first  read,  yet,  by  a  legitimate  kind  of  association  of 
ideas,  naturally  engage  the  mind,  and  summon  it's  whole  atten- 
tion, when  we  hear  a  Man  distinctly  Jind  solemnly  pronounce, 
«•  Heaven  and  earth  shall  j^ass  away,  but  my  tcords  shall  not  pass 
"  aicay.^^ 

Without  entering  into  ervplanations,  which  to  some  minds  might 
be  difficult  of  comprehension,  let  us  yield  to  tlie  impression  so  fa- 
vourably and  so  forcibly  given.  Can  human  imagination  con- 
ceive a  sentiment  more  truly  grand,  awful,  and  sublime  }  Who, 
what,  where  is  the  Being  in  the  shape  of  Humanity,  that,  stand- 
ing with  his  foot  on  the  earth,  and  lifting  up  his  hands  and  his 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITAUIANS,  &c.  143 

Ryes  to  the  heaven  of  heavens,  can  thus  authoritativel}'  utter  the 
tlecrees  of  Omnipotence,  and  cause  the  very  breath  of  hin  mouth 
to  pervade  and  (were  it  necessary)  to  dissipate  a  universe?.'! 
*******  It  is  the  Son  of  Man  I  In  that  adorable  character  he 
now  stands  "  in  t!\e  midst  of  seven  golden  candlesticks,  clothed 
*'  witli  a  garment  down  to  the  foot,  and  girt  about  the  paps  with 
*'  a  golden  girdle.  His  head  and  his  hairs  are  white  like  wool, 
"  as  white  as  snow ;  and  his  eyes  are  as  a  flame  of  fire ;  and  his 
*'  feet  like  unto  fine  brass,  as  if  they  burned  in  a  furnace;  and 
"  his  voice  as  the  sound  of  man}^  waters.  And  he  has  in  his 
"  right  hand  seven  stars :  and  out  of  his  mouth  proceedeth  a 
"  sharp  two-edged  sword :  and  his  countenance  is  as  the  sun 
"  shining  in  his  strength,"  Apoc.  i.  12  to  16.  See  also  cliap.  xix. 
11  to  16.  *******  Now  he  sits  upon  his  throne  as  the  An- 
cient OF  days!  "  His  garment  is  white  as  snow,  and  the  hair 
"  of  his  head  (as  before)  like  pure  wool  :  his  throne  is  like  tlie 
*'  fiery  flame,  and  his  wheels  as  burning  fire.  A  fiery  stream  is- 
\(;  *'  sues,  and  comes  forth  from  before  him :  thousand  thousands 
"  minister  unto  him,  and  ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand  stand 
*'  before  him,"  Dan.  vii.  9,  10.  *******  Still  as  a  Divine 
Man,  and  as  the  same  Divine  Man,  he  continues  seated  on  a 
high  and  lofty  throne  far  "  above  the  firmament.  And  I  see  as 
"  the  colour  of  amber,  as  the  appearance  of  fire  round  about 
"  within  him :  from  the  appearance  of  Ids  loins  even  upward, 
"  and  from  the  appearance  of  his  loins  even  downward,  I  see  as 
*'  it  were  the  appearance  of  fiie,  and  it  has  brightness  round 
*'  about.  This  is  the  appearance  of  the  likeness  of  the  Glory  of 
"  Jehovah,"  Ezek.  i.  26  to  28.  Exod.  sxiv.  10,  11.  ******* 
At  the  sight  and  presence  of  such  a  Being,  who  can  refrain  from 
falling  down  at  his  feet  in  self-annihilation,  until,  raising  us  with 
his  right  hand,  he  says,  "  Fear  not;  I  am  the  First  and  the  Last; 
"  I  am  Alpiia  and  Omega,  the  beginning  and  the  end,  who  is, 
"  who  was,  and  who  is  to  come,  the  Almighty.  I  am  he  that 
"  liveth,  and  was  dead  (rejected  and  denied  ;)  and  behold,  I  am 
'•  alive  for  evermore:  Amen."     Apoc.  i.  8,  11,  IT,  IS. 

This  then  is  the  Man,  this  the  Almighty  God  himself,  who- 
proclaims  with  tlie  loud  voice  of  revelation,  that  his  words  are 


144  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

really  and  truly  "  spirit  and  life,"  John  vi.  63 ;  that  they  alon? 
are  the  root  and  origin  of  all  existence,  intelligent  or  non-intelli- 
gent, animate  or  inanimate,  spiritual  or  material;  and  conse- 
quently that  in  themselves  they  are  more  permanent  and  durable 
than  the  pillars  of  creation.  Of  him  speaks  the  Psalmist,  when 
he  says,  "  By  the  word  of  Jehovah  were  the  heavens  made; 
"  and  all  the  host  of  them  by  the  breath  of  his  mouth.  The 
"  counsel  0/ Jehovah  standeth/o7'  ever,  the  tho7ights  of  his  heart 
"  to  all  generations,^''  Ps.  xxxiii.  6,  11.  "  Of  old  hast  thou  laid 
*'  the  foundations  of  the  earth  ;  and  the  heavens  are  the  work  of 
"  thy  hands.  They  all  -perish,  but  thou  shalt  endure  :  yea,  all  of 
'*  them  shall  wax  old  like  a  garment ;  as  a  vesture  shalt  thou 
"  change  them,  and  they  shall  be  changed.  But  thou  art  the 
"  same,  and  thy  years  shall  have  no  end,^^  Ps.  cii.  25  to  27.  "  All 
"  his  commandments  are  sure:  they  stand  fast /or  ever  and  ever,'*' 
Ps.  cxi.  7,  8.  For  ever,  0  Jehovah,  thy  word  is  settled  in  hea- 
<'  ven.  Thy  word  is  true  from  the  beginning  :  and  every  one  of 
"  thy  righteous  judgments  endureth  for  ever,'"  Ps.  cxix.  89, 
"  160.  Thou  hast  made  a  decree,  which  shall  not  }}ass,"  Ps. 
cxlviii.  6.  I  will  worship  towards  thy  holy  temple,  and  praise 
"  thy  name,  for  thy  loving-kindness,  and  for  thy  truth :  for  thou 
<'  hast  magnified  thy  Word  above  all  thy  name,^''  Ps.  cxxxviii.  2. 

Such  is  the  Word  of  Jehovah,  and  such  also  is  the  Word  of 
Jesus  :  both  are  alike  the  divine  truth ;  both  equally  omnipotent, 
and  equally  eternal.  Of  Jehovah  it  is  said,  that  by  the  word  or 
breath  of  his  mouth  were  the  heavens  and  all  the  host  of  them 
made;  that  his  counsel,  his  judgments,  and  decrees,  as  well  as 
himself,  are  everlasting  ;  while  the  foundations  of  the  earth,  and 
even  the  heavens  themselves,  from  the  highest  to  the  lowest,  as 
finite  forms,  depending  every  moment  on  their  Creator  for  a 
continued  renewal  of  their  existence,  are  in  themselves  mutable, 
transient,  and  perishable,  being  permanent  only  so  far  as  they 
are  from  instant  to  instant  upheld  by  a  divine  power.  Of  Jesus 
it  is  also  written,  tliat  the  words  proceeding  from  his  lips  are  es- 
sential life,  in  their  own  nature  imperishable,  and  therefore,  like 
himself  and  every  thing  that  bears  the  character  of  Divinity,  in- 
finitely and  eternally  the  same.    Hence,  as  there  can  be  only 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  145 

One  Immutable,  One  Eternal,  and  One  Infinite  Being,  from  whom 
proceeded,  and  ever  will  proceed,  all  that  is  permanently  sub- 
stantial, holy,  and  divine,  we  conclude,  that  Jesus  and  Jehovah, 
united  as  they  are  in  One  Person,  the  Human  Essence  with  the 
Divine,  and  the  Divine  Essence  with  the  Human,  together 
constitute  the  One  Immortal,  Unchangeable,  and  Self-Existent 
God     ■ 


[46.]  Matt,  xxviii.  9.  "  As  they  went  to  tell  his  disciples, 
*•  behold,  Jesus  met  them,  saying.  All  hail.  And  they  came,  and 
*'  held  him  by  the  feet,  and  worshipped  himy  See  also  ver.  17. 
Luke  xxiv.  53. 


Various  are  the  instances  recorded  in  the  Gospel,  in  which  Je- 
stis  was  approached  by  his  followers  in  the  way  of  direct  wor- 
ship ;  and  in  no  case  whatever  did  he  refuse  to  receive  their  ado- 
rations, or  even  give  the  most  distant  hint,  that  they  were  misap- 
plied, or  improperly  directed.  On  tlie  contrary,  he  appears  to 
have  admitted  them  with  complacency  and  perfect  approbation,. 
Would  this  have  been  the  case,  nay,  could  the  divine  jealousy 
have  suffered  such  a  practice  to  have  been  repeated  more  than 
once,  if  Jesus  sustained  no  higher  cliaracter  than  that  of  a  mere 
vian,  a  mere  prophet,  or  a  mere  creature  of  any  rank  in  the  scale 
of  intelligence  ? 

It  is  related  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  that,  when  divine  ho- 
nours were  offered  by  the  multitude  to  king  Herod,  and  he  ap- 
peared willing  to  receive  them,  "  immediately  the  angel  of  the 
"  Lord  smote  him,  because  he  gave  not  God  the  glory :  and  he 
"  was  eaten  of  worms,  and  gave  up  the  spirit,"  chap.  xii.  23.  We 
are  not  at  liberty  to  presume,  that  any  being  inferior  to,  or  other 
than,  the  Supreme  God  himself,  is  entitled  to  that  highest  species 
of  veneration,  which  is  called  religious  adoration  ;  or  that  any 
messenger,  priest,  or  prophet,  acting  under  a  divine  commission 
with  faithfulness  and  integrity,  would  willingly  suffer  to  be  as- 
cribed to  him  what  he  knew  belonged  only  to  the  God  whom  he 

T 


146  A  StlAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  O^ 

served.  Nor  can  we  believe,  that  any  angel  in  heaven  would  ac- 
cept of  such  incense,  were  it  even  offered  in  ignorance,  as  on  cer- 
tain occasions  it  was  oftered  by  the  Apostle  John,  but  would  in- 
stantly reject  it  with  horror,  and  piously  refer  it  to  it's  true  and 
proper  01)ject.  Yet,  as  we  have  already  observed  under  the  arti- 
cles 3,  8,  14,  50,  and  elsewhere,  Jesus,  even  while  in  the  infirm 
humanity,  received  and  distinctly  approved  of  the  prayers, 
praises,  and  adorations,  which  were  repeatedly  directed  to  him. 
How  much  more  then  is  he  now  entitled  to  all  the  honours  of  di- 
vine worship,  seeing  that  since  his  resurrection  from  the  dead, 
that  is,  from  every  thing  material,  or  subject  to  mortality,  and 
his  consequent  ascension  into  heaven,  he  is  entirely  divested  of 
the  infirm  body  of  flesh  and  blood,  in  whicli  he  was  conversant 
while  in  the  world,  and  instead  of  that  is  possessed  of  a  form 
truly  human  indeed,  but  at  the  same  time  jicrfectly  divine .'  If  his 
former  state  of  humiliation  on  earth  was  no  bar  to  his  disciples, 
or  others,  prostrating  themselves  before  him  in  prayer  and  adora- 
tion ;  still  less  is  his  present  state  of  glorification  in  heaven. 
And  again,  still  more,  if  possible,  will  his  divine  form,  now  as- 
cended above  all  heavens,  and  filling  all  things  with  it's  presence, 
engage  the  admiration  both  of  angels  and  men,  while  in  hymns 
and  songs  of  lasting  praise  they  celebrate  and  adore  the  ever- 
increasing  wonders  of  his  love. 

In  the  Gospel  by  Matthew  we  read  of  seven  instances  of  wor- 
shipi  expressly  so  called,  directed  to,  and  received  by,  Jesus  ; 
besides  the  cases  of  otlier  persons,  of  whom  it  is  related,  that 
they  either  kneeled  down  to  him,  or  fell  at  his  feet,  or  embraced 
his  knees,  which  may  all  in  like  manner  be  considered  as  acts  of 
adoration  or  worship.  Similar  examples  are  to  be  met  with  in 
each  of  the  other  Gospels,  as  well  as  in  the  Apocalypse.  But  we 
must  not  forget  to  mention  the  memorable  case  of  Thomas,  who, 
having  been  incredulous  with  respect  to  the  actual  resurrection  of 
his  Divine  Master,  and  being  at  last  convinced  of  it's  reality  by 
ocular  and  sensible  proof,  exclaimed  with  all  the  fervency  of  de- 
vout worship,  and  the  zeal  of  an  enlightened  faith,  "  .My  Lord 
"  and  my  God  /"  John  xx.  28.  It  is  to  testimony  like  this,  ap- 
proved and  sanctioned  by  the  Lord  himself,  that  we  are  indebted 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  147 

for  those  many  irresistible  arguments  in  favour  of  his  divinity, 
M'hich,  while  they  confound  and  close  the  mouth  of  the  adversa- 
ry, inspire  his  worshippers  with  new  confidence  in  the  truth 
which  they  have  embraced,  with  increasing  love  also  to  his  per- 
son, his  Word  and  ways,  and  with  a  filial,  unfeigned  devotion  to 
his  sacred  service. 

It  is  plain,  then,  from  the  various  cases  and  circumstances 
above  referred  to,  that  our  Lord  both  before  and  after  his  resur- 
rection permitted  his  follo\vers  to  fall  down  at  his  feet,  and  in  that 
posture  to  offer  him  the  adoration  of  the  heart,  as  well  as  of  the 
lips.  And  further,  it  is  equally  evident,  that  he  regarded  all  such 
acts  of  religious  worship  with  entire  approbation  ;  either  granting 
to  the  individual  so  worshipping  the  object  of  his  prayer,  sayings 
"  Be  it  unto  thee,  according  to  thy  faith,"  as  in  Matt.  viii.  13  ; 
chap.  ix.  29 ;  chap.  xv.  £8 ;  or  else  pouring  into  the  troubled 
mind  the  sweet  balm  of  consolation  in  these  following  words, 
"  Peace  be  unto  you  ;  be  not  afraid  ;  I  am  the  Almighty  ;  I  am 
"  the  First  and  the  Last,"  as  in  Luke  xxiv.  36.  John  xx.  19,  26. 
Matt,  xxviii.  10, 18.  Apoc.  i.  17.  And  when  we  bring  into  view, 
among  many  other  considerations  of  similar  tendency,  that  most 
important  precept  of  the  divine  law,  which  our  Lord  himself  also 
quotes  with  such  powerful  effect,  "  Thou  shalt  worship  the  Lord 
<'  thy  God,  and  him  only  shalt  thou  serve,"  Matt.  iv.  10  ;  how 
can  we  resist  the  mass  of  evidence  that  bears  down  upon  us,  or 
how  refrain  from  acknowledging,  that  He  Himself  is  that  very 
Lord  God  Almighty,  to  whom  alone  he  refers,  and  to  whom 
alone  is  due,  both  from  angels  in  heaven,  and  from  men  upon 
earth,  all  honour,  all  glory,  and  all  worship  ! 

With  angels,  therefore,  we  will  for  ever  join  our  voices,  and 
exclaim  aloud,  "  Worthy  is  the  Lamb,  (worthy  is  Jesus,)  that 
"  was  slain, to  receive  power,  and  riches,  and  wisdom,  and  strength, 
"  and  honour,  and  glory,  and  blessing."  And  with  the  countless 
myriads  that  surround  his  throne,  let  "  every  creature  which  is  in 
"  (the  remotest  parts  of)  heaven,  and  on  the  earth,  and  under 
"the  eartli,  and  such  as  are  in  the  sea,  and  all  that  are  in  them," 
again  and  again  repeat  the  high-sounding  gloiification,  which  once 
begun  can  never  cease,  until  the  whole  creation  shout,  "  Blessing, 


148  A  8EAL  UPON  THK  UPS  OF 

"  and  honour,  and  glory,  and  power,  be  unto  Him  that  sittetli 
"  upon  the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb,  for  ever  and  ever,"  Apoc. 
V.  12,  13. 


[47.]  Matt,  xxvlli.  18.  "  And  Jesus  came,  and  spake  unto 
*•  them,  saying,  Jill  power  is  given  unto  me  in  heaven  and  in 
"  earth.'' 


It  is  an  extraordinary  fact,  which  we  have  frequently  observed, 
that,  whenever  a  Unitarian,  or  a  confirmed  Trinitarian,  finds 
himself  compelled  to  notice  this  passage,  it  is  with  a  kind  of  re- 
luctance that  he  submits  either  to  read  it  himself,  or  to  hear 
it  read  by  another  :  for  as  to  their  being  volunteers  in  bringing  it 
forward  to  establish  the  sole  omnipotence  of  Jesus,  that  is  entirely 
out  of  the  question.  Neither  of  them  acknowledges  him  as  ac- 
tually possessed  of  this  divine  omnipotence,  although  it  is  most 
expressly  so  asserted. 

The  Trinitarian,  who  by  his  doctrine  attaches  a,  portion  of  di- 
vinity to  Jesus,  i-efuses  to  give  him  the  whole  sum,  because  he  re- 
serves for  two  other  divine  persons  their  respective  shares.  And 
thus  he  betrays  the  nullity  of  his  faith,  by  dividing  among  three, 
what  exclusively  belongs  to  one.  For  it  is  impossible  to  parcel 
out  the  divine  attributes  into  three  separate  lots,  giving  a  portion 
to  one  person,  and  a  portion  to  another,  till  the  whole  is  disposed 
of,  without  depriving  every  one  of  the  persons  so  dealt  with  of 
some  perfection  necessary  to  the  integrity  of  the  divine  nature  : 
and  therefore  the  partition  of  the  Godhead  into  three  divine  per- 
sons, as  they  are  profanely  called,  is  no  less  than  a  robbery  of 
them  all,  followed  up  with  the  crime  of  spiritual  Deicide. 

The  Unitarian,  on  the  other  hand,  professedly  ascribes  omni- 
potence to  one  God  alone,  whom  he  calls  the  Father,  or  Creator 
pf  the  univeise :  and  although  he  reads,  that  it  was  absolutely 
given  or  transferred  to  Jesus,  yet  he  will  not  allow  the  possibili- 
ty of  it's  being  vested  in,  or  exercised  by  him  in  any  respect  as 
his  own,  but  only  by  a  kind  of  delegation  or  temporary  loan,  du- 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  149 

ring  the  pleasure  of  another,  from  whom  it  is  derived  ;  not  per- 
ceiving, that  it  is  as  great  an  absurdity  to  suppose,  that  the  divine 
omnipotence  can  be  delegated  or  lent  to  a  mere  man,  as  to  believe, 
that  it  can  be  given  or  transferred  to  him  5  both  suppositions  be- 
ing equally  and  alike  impossible.  And  thus,  instead  of  admit- 
ting the  great  fact,  as  declared  in  the  passage,  that  Jesus  is  in 
tlie  actual  possession  of  divine  omnipotence,  he  cavils  about  the 
meaning  of  the  word  given,  and  asserts,  that  he  could  not  receive 
omnipotence  as  a  gift,  unless  there  were  another  superior  Being, 
namely,  the  Father,  who  gave  it ;  and  if  so,  still  Jesus  could  not 
be  God,  notwithstanding  he  is  said  to  be  omnipotent. 

It  is  by  this  fallacious  and  sophistical  way  of  reasoning,  that 
the  Unitarian  endeavours  to  destroy  the  divinity  of  Jesus,  and 
together  witli  it  the  truth  of  the  proposition,  That  all  power  is 
given  unto  him  both  in  heaven  and  in  earth ;  contending,  that  he 
who  gave  such  power,  and  not  he  who  received  it,  must  be  the  one 
true  God. 

But,  in  opposition  to  this,  it  may  be  observed,  that,  if  the  Fa- 
ther be  indeed  a  distinct  person  from  the  Son,  or  from  Jesus, 
and  if  he  have  actually  given  or  transferred  to  him  all  his  divine 
power,  then  the  Father  is  himself  no  longer  the  God  of  heaven 
and  earth,  being  no  longer  possessed  of  that  distinguishing  attri- 
bute, which  characterizes  Deity,  and  without  which  no  being  can 
justly  be  considered  as  God.  Allowing,  then,  the  Unitarian  the 
very  point,  for  which  he  contends,  namely,  that  the  Father  gave 
to  Jesus,  or  that  Jesus  received  from  the  Father,  the  gift  of  om- 
nipotence, how  heavy  does  the  absurdity  fall  upon  him  and  his 
system  !  He  first  unmakes  a  Deity,  by  supposing  that  the  Father 
transferred  or  resigned  all  his  power :  he  then  for  a  moment 
deifies  a  mere  man,  by  admitting  that  Jesus  received  into  him- 
self the  omnipotence  so  unaccountably  transferred  :  and  yet,  in 
defiance  of  both  these  concessions,  he  perseveres  in  maintaining 
his  old  ground,  that  the  Father  still  remains  the  omnipotent  God, 
as  before,  and  that  Jesus  in  like  manner  also  still  remains  a  mere 
man,  as  before  ! ! ! 

Such  is  the  kind  of  argument,  and  such  the  consequence  of  the 
the  mode  of  reasoning,  adopted  by  Unitarians,  to  overturn  the  di- 


150  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

rect  testimony  of  the  Word  itself,  where  it  seems  to  militate 
airainst  their  pre-conceived  opinions  concerning  the  mere  huma- 
nity of  Jesus.  But  what  else  can  be  expected  from  setting  up  the 
imperfect  understanding  of  finite  man,  in  opposition  to  the  di- 
vine nisdom  of  that  infinite  God,  who  by  his  Holy  Spirit  dictat- 
ed both  the  sentiments  and  the  terms  of  inspiration  ?  When  re- 
velation asserts^  it  is  not  for  man  to  deny,  merely  because  his  own 
puisne  intellect  has  not  as  yet  been  enlightened  with  the  beams 
of  heavenly  light :  but  it  is  his  duty  to  exercise  with  humility 
the  talents  already  bestowed  upon  him;  and  where  he  cannot 
clearly  discern  the  consistency  of  any  particular  proposition  con- 
tained in  the  Sacred  Pages,  it  is  both  wiser  and  safer  for  him  to 
suspect  his  own  abilities,  or  powers  of  comprehension,  than  has- 
tily to  conclude  against  a  doctrine  plainly  and  repeatedly  incul- 
cated by  them,  which,  though  at  present  involved  in  doubt  and 
obscurity,  many  possibly  hereafter  be  most  satisfactorily  explain- 
ed. Of  this  natui-e  is  the  doctrine  of  our  Lord's  omnipotence, 
as  acquired  or  received  by  him  from  the  Father,  apparently  as 
from  another  Being  out  of  liim,  but  in  reality  from  his  own  di- 
\nne  essence  within  him,  which  in  the  language  of  the  New  Tes- 
tament is  generally  termed  the  Father,  because  it  is  the  fountain 
and  source  of  all  life.  Tliis  appearance  of  having  received  it 
from  anotiier,  together  with  the  declaration  that  it  was  a  gift  to 
him,  may  at  first  sight  a  little  embarrass  the  mind  of  a  sincere 
inquirer  after  the  truth  ;  but  will  not  eventually  lead  him  astray, 
if  he  candidly  attend  to  the  following  considerations. 

It  is  admitted,  and  must  be  perpetually  kept  in  view,  that  there 
is,  and  can  be,  only  One  God.  It  is  also  to  be  observed  as  an 
eternal  truth,  or  an  inviolable  law  of  divine  order,  that  this  One 
God  cannot  produce  another  God  like  unto  himself;  that  he  can- 
not divest  himself  of  his  divine  attributes,  by  transferring  them 
to  another  being  ;  and  moreover  that  no  other  being  besides  himself 
can,  or  ever  could,  receive,  contain,  or  exercise,  any  one  of  such 
■attributes,  even  were  the  gift  or  transfer  (for  argument's  sake) 
allowed  to  be  in  contemplation.  In  agreement  with  these  great 
truths  thus  speaks  the  Eternal  God  himself:  "lam  Jehovah, 
"  that  is  my  name,  and  my  glory  will  I  not  give  to  anothery^  Isa. 


UNITARIANS^  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  151 

.^Ui.  8  ;  chap,  xlviii.  11.  "  Before  me  there  was  7io  God  formed, 
"  neither  shall  there  be  after  me"  Isa.  xliii.  10. 

Since  then  the  Supreme  God  in  his  own  nature  cannot,  and  by 
his  divine  purpose  will  not,  give  or  transfer  his  glory  to  any 
other  being  either  in  heaven  or  on  earth,  and  thereby  set  up  an- 
other God  in  the  room  of  himself,  or  in  conjunction  with  himself, 
how  are  we  to  understand,  consistently  with  the  preceding  de- 
clarations, our  Lord's  own  words  to  his  disciples,  when  he  says, 
that  divine  omnipotence  was  given  to,  or  vested  in  him  ?  Surely 
in  no  other  possible  way,  than  by  considering  the  glorified  Hu- 
manity of  Jesus  as  the  very  form  or  body  of  the  Divinity;  whicli 
form  or  body,  being  intimately,  wholly,  and  perfectly  united  with 
the  divine  essence  as  a  soul  within  it,  may  therefore  truly  be 
said  to  have  received  all  it's  powers,  attributes,  and  perfections, 
not  from  any  source  exteriir  to  itself,  but  from  the  pure  Divinity 
within  it's  own  bosom,  which  may  also  be  considered  as  the  soul 
of  the  Humanity.  And  as  the  soul  of  a  man  may  be  said  to  give 
to  the  body  all  it's  powers,  yet  without  implying  that  the^ireris 
a  person  or  being  distinct  from  the  receiver  ;  so  the  pure  Divini- 
ty, called  the  Father,  may  in  like  manner  be  said  to  have  given 
to  the  Humanity,  called  the  Son,  the  divine  attribute  of  omnipo- 
tence, yet  without  in  the  least  implying,  that  the  giver  and  re- 
ceiver were  different  persons  in  this  case,  any  more  than  in  tlie 
former. 

The  Unitarian,  we  know,  will  not  admit  of  this  kind  of  reason- 
ing, in  reference  to  Jesus  and  the  Father ;  although  he  cannot 
deny  it's  application  to  the  soul  and  body  of  man.  And  perhaps 
the  Trinitarian  will  be  ready,  on  this  occasion,  to  concur  with  his 
old  adversary  the  Unitarian,  jointly  to  oppose  the  new  doctrine, 
here  advanced,  of  the  sole,  supreme,  and  exclusive  divinity  of  our 
blessed  Saviour.  But  can  either  of  them  offer  a  more  consistent 
explanation  ?  one  that  shall  accord  with  the  indivisibility  or 
unity  of  the  Supreme  Being,  and  at  the  same  time  with  the  de- 
claration of  Jesus,  that  all  power  was  given  unto  him  both  in 
heaven  and  in  earth .''  If  they  cannot,  let  ailence  rest  upon  their 
tongues,  till  he,  who  can  alone  give  an  understanding  to  discern, 
and  a  mouth  to  confess  his  dorv.  shall  in  mercv  reveal  himself 


152  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

to  them,  and  open  his  Word  in  their  hearts.  At  present  they  do 
not  acknowledge  the  Divinity  of  his  Humanity,  but  regard  him 
as  they  would  another  man :  and  this,  notwithstanding  the  many 
declarations  and  proofs  to  be  found  in  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  that 
he  was  actually  possessed  of  such  powers  and  perfections,  as  no 
other  man  ever  did,  or  by  any  possibility  ever  can,  possess ;  of 
powers  sufficient  to  save  a  sinking  world  ;  and  of  perfections 
■worthy  to  engage  tlie  admiration  and  the  love,  not  of  an  age  or  a 
nation  only,  but  of  an  universe,  of  men  and  angels  in  all  succeed- 
ing periods  of  their  existence. 

In  a  former  part  of  this  volume,  under  article  19,  we  had  occa- 
sion to  explain  a  passage  similar  to  that,  which  we  have  just  been 
considering.  In  Matt.  xi.  27,  Jesus  says,  "  Ml  things  are  deli- 
"  vered  unto  me  of  my  Father:''''  and  in  Matt,  xxviii.  18,  "  Ml 
"  power  is  given  unto  me  in  heaven  a.-.d  in  earth.^^  In  each  place 
the  same  doctrine  is  inculcated,  as  it  is  also  in  the  following : 
*'  The  Father  loveth  the  Son,  and  hath  given  all  things  into  his 
"  hand,^'  John  iii.  35.  Jesus  saith,  "  All  things  that  the  Father 
<'  hath,  are  mine,"  John  xvi.  15.  And  again,  "  Tliou  hast  given 
"  him  (the  Son)  power  over  all  flesh  "  John  xvii.  2.  "  For  as  the 
''  Father  hath  life  in  himself,  so  hath  he  given  to  the  So7i  to  have 
••'  life  in  himself"  John  v.  26.  The  same  rule  of  interpretation, 
which  applies  to  one  passage,  equally  applies  to  all  the  rest :  and 
nothing  can  be  plainer  and  more  satisfactory,  than  the  conclusion, 
which  we  now  draw  from  their  concurrent  testimony,  viz.  That 
Jesus,  as  the  Son,  the  Divine  Form,  or  the  Divine  Humanity, 
possesses  in  himself  all  the  characters,  powers,  and  perfections 
of  the  ever-living  Father,  that  is,  of  the  Divine  Essence,  ©r  the 
pure  Divinity ;  and  consequently  that,  as  the  invisible  soul  and 
tlie  visible  body  constitute  one  man,  so  the  invisible  Father  and 
the  visible  Son,  or  the  Essential  Divinity  and  the  Divine  Huma- 
nity, united  in  the  person  of  our  ever-blessed  and  ever-adorable 
Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  constitute  the  One  Supreme, 
Eternal,  and  Omnipotent  God. 


UNITARIxVNS,  TRINITAHIANS,  &c.  153 

[48.]  Matt,  xxviii,  19,  20.  "  Go  ye  therefore  and  teacli  all 
*•  nations,  baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the 
"  Sun,  and  of  the  Jfoly  Spirit;  teaching  them  to  observe  all 
''•  things  whatsoever  /  have  commanded  you:  and  lo,  I  am  with 
'^  you  alway  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world,'^  or  rather,  in  agree- 
ment with  the  original,  "  until  the  consummation  of  the  age.'- 


These  last  words  of  our  Lord  to  his  disciples,  after  his  resur- 
rection, and  just  previous  to  his  ascension  into  heaven,  contain, 
as  miglit  well  be  expected  from  the  lips  of  him,  who  is  Wisdom 
itself,  the  very  essence  of  Christianity,  so  far  as  respects  faith  in 
it's  Founder,  as  the  alone  God  of  the  church,  obedience  to  his 
will,  and  a  vital  acknowledgment  of  his  divine  omnipresence. 
Were  there  no  other  passage  in  the  Scriptures  of  truth,  from 
which  we  might  deduce  tlie  doctrine  of  a  divine  trinity,  this 
would  amply  suffice  :  for  nothing  can  be  more  self-evident,  than 
that  distinct  mention  is  made  of  three,  the  Father,  the  Son,  and 
the  Holy  Spirit ;  which  trine  having  reference  to  the  authority, 
under  which  the  apostles  and  their  successors  in  all  ages  of  the 
church  were  appointed  to  teach  and  baptize,  and  such  authority 
being  no  less  than  a  divine  authority,  it  follows,  that  the  trinity 
here  held  up  to  view  is  at  the  same  time  also  a  divine  trinity. 

But  how  is  this  trinity  to  be  understood  ?  Is  it  a  trinity  of 
persons,  as  distinct  from  each  other,  as  the  names  are  distinct  ? 
Why  then  was  it  not  so  expressed  at  least  once  in  the  whole 
course  of  the  volume  of  revelation  ?  No  ;  the  idea,  the  term  was 
inadmissible,  on  account  of  it's  too  strong  tendency  to  generate 
in  the  human  mind  the  picture  of  a  Trinity  of  Gods.  Instead 
then  of  a  trinity  of  persons,  which  must  ever  be  identified  with  a 
trinity  of  Gods,  it  could  be  no  other  than  a  trinity  of  essentials  in 
one  person,  and  that  indeed  Ids  own  person,  to  which  Jesus  refer- 
red, when  he  said,  "  Go,  and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in 
"  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Spi- 
••  rit;  teaching  them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever  J  have  com- 
•'  manded  you;  and  lo  !  I  am  with  yon  alway,  even  unto  the  con- 
"  summation  of  the  age."  But,  independent  of  these  considera- 
tions, the  very  passage  plainly  resolves  itself  into  unity  of  person^ 

U 


154  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

and  points  at  the  Saviour  alone  as  the  great  Legislator,  whose 
laws  are  to  be  observed,  and  whose  presence  was  to  be  continued 
in  the  Christian  church,  not  indeed  for  ever,  but  only  nntil  the 
consummation  of  the  age,  that  is,  2intii  the  end  of  the  church,  when 
he  would  no  longer  be  acknowledj^ed  by  Christians,  improperly 
so  called,  and  consequently  when  he  would  depart  from  them,  to 
take  i>p  his  final  and  everlasting  abode  with  those  who  should 
constitute  his  new  and  true  Christian  church,  by  setting  up  Ilim 
alone  as  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  thus  as 
the  all  of  Deity  in  one  visible  and  glorified  person. 

When  our  Lord  charges  his  disciples  to  teach  mankind  to  ob- 
serve all  things,  which  he  had  given  in  commandment  to  them, 
he  evidently  declares  himself  to  be  their  Legislator:  and  in  othei- 
places  he  is  represented  as  their  Judge,  their  King,  and  their  Sa- 
viour.  Yet  all  these  characters  are  expressly  those  of  the  great 
Jehovah  himself,  v»ho  is  thus  described  by  the  prophet:  "  Je- 
"  HOVAH  is  our  Judge,  Jehovah  is  our  Laiv-giver,  Jehovah  is 
<'  our  J^'ing,  he  will  save  ms,"  Tsa.  xxxiii.  22.  Is  it  possible  seri- 
ously to  believe,  that  Jesus  would  assume  to  himself,  so  repeat- 
edly as  he  has  done  in  the  New  Testament,  titles,  characters, 
and  prerogatives,  which  can  only  belong  to  the  Supreme  God, 
and  yet  himself  be  a  mere  man,  a  creature  of  yesterday,  account- 
able to  that  very  God,  whom  he  so  presumptuously  robs  of  his  di- 
vine sovereignty  ?  The  consequences  of  adopting  such  a  prepos- 
terous faith  certainly  cannot  be  foreseen  by  those,  who  suffer 
themselves  to  be  misled  by  the  mere  appearances  of  truth  in  the 
literal  sense  of  the  Word ;  or,  as  men  of  sound  understanding, 
they  would  instantly  reject  it.  But  we  know,  that  a  complete 
change  of  religious  sentiment  is  not  to  be  expected  in  any  indivi- 
dual, without  long  and  deliberate  investigation :  and  if  a  state  of 
doubt  or  suspense,  the  first  effect  of  the  sincere  love  of  truth  with 
him  who  is  still  in  error,  can  by  any  means  be  induced  on  his 
Toind,  great  hopes  may  be  entertained,  that  further  light  will  gra- 
dually lead  him  on  to  full  conviction,  especially  if  in  his  progress 
he  directs  a  prayer  for  illumination  to  him,  who  is  the  God  of  the 
Word,  who  is  also  tlie  Word  itself  made  flesh,  and  the  true  light. 


tJNITAPJANS,  TRINITARTANS,  &c.  155 

■tvliich  Ughteth  every  man  that  cometh  into  the  world,  John  i.  1, 
4,  9,  14. 

Unitarians  and  Trinitarians  are  both  ready  enough  to  admit, 
that  the  apostles  and  immediate  disciples  of  Jesus  knew  their 
Master's  will  and  doctrine  better  than  their  successors  in  remote 
ages.  Upon  their  own  admission  then  it  is  plain,  that  the  prac- 
tice of  the  disciples,  in  baptizing  in  the  name  of  Jesus  only,  as 
recorded  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  is  something  more  than 
presumptive  evidence,  that  they  considered  the  entire  Divinity  to 
be  lodged  in  his  person  :  for  when  he  directed  them  to  baptize  in 
the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
they  immediately  went  and  baptized  in  his  name  only  ^  never 
dreaming  that  they  were  called  upon  to  make  any  such  distinc- 
tion into  persons,  as  was  afterwards  invented,  but  simply  to  di- 
rect their  thoughts,  their  hearts,  and  their  worship,  to  the  single 
person  of  Jesus  alone.  The  example,  therefore,  of  the  primitive 
disciples,  compared  with  t'le  passage  before  us,  makes  equally 
against  both  Unitarians  and  Trinitarians;  against  the  former  in 
their  refusing  to  ascribe  any  portion  of  divinity  to  Jesus,  al- 
though it  is  manifest  that  he  claimed  it  to  himself,  when  he  as- 
serted his  om.nipresence  in  the  church ;  and  against  the  latter  iu 
their  setting  up  two  ot!»er  imaginary  persons  in  competition  with 
Jesus,  when  yet  it  is  equally  evident,  that  the  attribute  of  omni- 
presence cannot  by  any  possibility  be  divided  among  three,  or 
in  any  respect  whatever  become  the  joint  property  of  more  than 
one* 

He,  who  is  possessed  of  any  one  of  the  divine  attributes,  must 
in  the  nature  of  things  be  possessed  of  them  all  in  the  same  mo- 
ment: for  such  is  the  intimate  and  eternal  union  of  all  the  per- 
fections of  Deity,  that,  though  in  idea  we  may  contemplate  them 
severally  and  distinctly,  yet  they  can  never  be  ac<«aZ/«/ separated 
the  one  from  the  other.  This  truth  of  necessity  results  from  the 
nature  of  infiniti/.  Each  of  the  divine  attributes  may  be  regard- 
ed as  entering  mutually  and  reciprocally  into  the  other;  and  all 
together  are  so  arranged  and  identified  as  one  in  essence,  and 
©ne  in  form,  that  wheresoever  in  the  Sacred  Scriptures  we  meet 
with  anyone  of  the  names  of  Deity,  or  read  of  any  one  of  tfe« 


136  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

..divine  qualities,  there  must  the  whole  Gvd,  by  virtue  of  his  in- 
finite unity,  be  considered  as  completely  present,  though,  in  mer- 
ciful accommodation  to  human  weakness,  his  characters, qualities, 
and  perfections,  are  distinctly  and  separately  presented  to  our 
view. 

From  these  premises,  then,  we  may  justly  and  truly  infer,  that, 
as  in  the  New  Testament  some  one  or  more  of  tlie  divine  attri- 
butes is  repeatedly  and  expressly  ascribed  to  Jesus,  and  not  un- 
frequently  all  of  them  united  together,  so  in  each  case  we  are 
equally  authorized  to  regard  liim  as  the  One  Supreme  God,  with 
whom  we  dare  not  associate  any  other,  and  besides  whom  there 
cannot  possibly  exist  any  other.  For  simple  Divinity  is  the  same 
thing  as  sole,  supreme,  and  ea'cliisive  Divinity;  and  to  whomso- 
ever the  former  attaches  in  any  degree  whatever,  with  the  same 
must  abide  the  latter ;  since  Deity  and  fulness  of  Deity  must 
ever  be  regarded  as  terms  of  equal  or  synonymous  import. 

Having  already  published  a  small  pamphlet,  entitled,  Reflec- 
tions on  the  Unitarian  and  Trinitarian  Doctrines,  pointing  out 
the  Errors  of  both,  &c.  wherein  the  passage  of  Matthew's  Gos- 
pel now  under  consideration  is  particularly  discussed,  we  may 
perhaps  be  allowed  to  give  the  following  extract  from  it,  p.  19, 
20,  &c.  "  A  more  sublime  truth  never  e*<caped  the  lips  of  man. 
than  a  declaration  oftlie  identity  of  Jiisuswith  the  Father,  the  Son, 

and  the  Holy  Spirit. •'■'•  Go,  (says  our  Lord,)  "  and  baptize 

"  all  nations  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the 
"  Holy  Spirit  ;  and  lo  !  I  am  %ciih  you  aiicay  even  unto  the  end  of 
^*  the  world :''''  which  is  as  much  as  to  say,  that  he  himself  was 
all  that  was  meant  by  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Spirit, 
in  whose  name  they  were  to  baptize.  For  surely,  had  he  been  a 
"inere  man,  or  a  being  perfectly  distinct  from  either  the  Father  or 
the  Holy  Spirit,  he  would  nerver  have  given  them  to  understand, 
that  his  own  presence  should  become  a  source  of  consolation  and 
support  to  them  in  the  performance  of  their  duty ;  but  rather  he 
would  have  assured  them,  that  the  Great  God,  in  whose  name 
they  were  to  baptize  all  nations,  would  be  with  them,  and  in  them, 
to  bless  and  protect  tl\em  in  the  sacred  work.  Besides,  on  a  sup- 
position that  Jesus   was  a  mere  man  like  ourselves,  subject  to 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  157 

locality  and  other  relations  and  affections  of  nature,  how  is  it 
possible  that  he  could  have  been  present  with  his  disciples  in  all 
jjlaces,  and  in  all  times  of  the  Christian  churcli  ?  Would  not  this 
have  been  omnipresence,  an  attribute  of  Deity  alone?  Yet  Jesus 
expressly  declares,  that  he  will  be  so  present  with  his  disciples  ; 
which  is  therefore  a  demonstrative  proof  of  his  divine  nature  j 
and  coming  so  immediately  after  his  charge  to  baptize  in  the 
name  of  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  most  evident- 
ly implies,  that  his  presence  is  a\so  the  presence  of  the  Father ,  and 
of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  consequently  that  he  himself  is  the  Sole  and 
Supreme  God  of  the  universe,  by  whatever  name  or  names  he 
has  been  pleased  to  distinguish  himself  in  the  Sacred  Scrip- 
tures." 

But  if  the  Unitarian  doctrine  concerning  the  person  of  Jesus 
is  so  miserably  defective  in  point  of  sound  rationality,  and  a  con- 
sistent interpretation  of  the  Scriptures,  we  fear  but  little  can  be 
said,  on  the  same  score,  in  favour  of  the  Trinitarian  system.  Do 
not  the  advocates  for  both  (particularly  those  of  the  Protestant 
persuasion)  equally  deny  the  Divinity  of  the  Lord's  Humanity, 
and  make  it  subject  to  the  laws  and  properties  of  mere  nature  ? 
saying  in  the  express  words  of  the  Church  of  England,  in  her 
llubrick  at  the  end  of  the  communion  service,  "  The  natural  body 
"  and  blood  of  our  Saviour  Christ  are  in  heaven,  and  not  here  ^ 
"  it  being  against  the  truth  of  Christ's  natural  body  to  be  at  one 
"  time  in  more  places  than  oneJ^^  Is  not  this  a  complete  denial  of 
his  omnipresence,  and  consequently  of  the  Divinity  of  his  Hu- 
manity ^  Again  ;  do  they  not  both  teach,  that  the  mere  humanity 
ascended  into  heaven,  that  is,  as  they  both  believe,  into  some 
heights  of  the  atmosphere  above  our  heads,  where  it  still  remains 
in  some  allotted  but  unknown  portion  of  space .''  And  if  you  ask 
either  of  them.  Where  now  is  your  Saviour  and  Redeemer  ? 
ivhere  is  the  man  Jesus,  that  rose  again  from  the  dead,  and  went 
up  to  heaven .''  or  where  is  the  right  hand  of  God,  at  which  he 
sits,  and  will  continue  to  sit  till  the  supposed  day  of  judgment  ? 
alas !  not  one  of  these  questions  can  be  answered  by  eitlier  Uni- 
tarians or  Trinitarians  :  they  both  acknowledge  their  ignorance, 
and  scarcely  think  it  concerns  them  to  know  what  is  become  of 


158  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

him,  from  whom  t^ey  have  derived  their  unmerited  name  of 
Christians.  Thus  it  evidently  appears,  even  from  their  own  con- 
fession, that  they  have  actually  lost  their  Saviour  and  their  Re- 
deemer :  and  what  is  worse  than  all,  tliey  teach,  that  he  has  de- 
serted them,  and  departed  they  know  not  where!  Well  then  may 
the  poor  Marys,  that  are  still  left  amon>^-  tiiem,  stand  weeping  at 
the  sepulchre,  and  in  the  bitterness  and  anguisli  of  their  hearts  ex- 
claim, "  They  have  taken  away  my  Lord,  and  I  know  not  where 
"  they  have  laid  himP^  John  xx.  13. 

Deplorable  indeed  must  be  the  state  of  the  Christian  church,  if 
this  be  a  genuine  picture  of  their  faith  respecting  the  Humanity 
of  the  Lord.  It  is  true,  the  Trinitarian  acknowledges  a  portion 
of  Divinity  in  some  way  or  other  belonging  to  Jesus  ;  but  this 
he  carefully  separates  from  his  Humanity,  placing  the  former  not 
within  but  out  of  and  above  the  latter.  Scarcely  can  we  call 
this  preferable  to  the  Unitarian  system  5  for  while  the  one  with  a 
bold  front  totally  denies  the  Divinity  of  our  Lord,  the  otlier  pro- 
fesses to  acknowledge  it,  and  yet  at  the  same  moment  separates, 
divides,  and  thus  fritters  it  away  into  nothing,  or  at  least  into 
any  thing  but  a  character  and  perfection  of  self-existent  Deity  : 
which  is  so  much  like  the  conduct  of  Judas  in  betraying  the  Son 
of  Man  ivith  a  kiss,  that  we  cannot  help  perceiving  and  lament- 
ing the  analogy. 

Where  then  is  the  God  of  the  church  to  be  found,  if  on  the 
one  hand  he  be  divided  or  multiplied,  each  term  in  this  case 
amounting  to  the  same  thing ;  and  if  on  tlie  other  hand  he  be  de- 
graded to  the  rank  of  a  mere  man,  and  then  by  both  parties  re- 
moved to  an  immeasurable  distance  from  the  rest  of  mankind, 
where  he  must  be  supposed  to  be  either  sitting,  standing,  flying, 
or  floating,  in  the  trackless  regions  of  infinite  space  ?  ResurreC' 
tion  and  ascension  must,  under  such  a  vieir,  be  a  double  death  ; 
and  instead  of  proving  a  triumph  over  i,he  powers  of  darkness, 
or  a  comfort  and  blessing  to  the  church  on  earth,  it  is  rather 
calculated  to  excite  horror  and  dismay,  and  to  chill  us  with  tiie 
apprehension  of  a  similar  fate  ! 

But  enough ! let  us  turn  our  eyes  from  such  gloomy,  dreary, 

terrific  seines ;  from  such  chimerical  doctrines,  which  can  give 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  159 

.  birtli  to  no  other  forms,  than  those  of  phantasy  and  mere  illusion. 
Let  us,  with  the  Word  of  truth  in  our  hands,  and  the  love  of  it 
in  our  hearts,  look  only  to  it's  Divine  Author,  who  has  promised 
to  enlighten  our  understanding,  if  we  will  but  obey  his  will.  Let 
us  listen  to  the  voice  of  him,  of  whom  Moses,  David,  and  all  the 
prophets,  so  uniformly  and  so  distinctly  speak ;  of  him,  who 
came  into  the  world  to  convert  prophecy  into  fact,  that  is,  to 
realize  in  his  own  person  every  prediction,  that  had  for  it's  ob- 
ject either  the  assumption  or  the  glorification  of  Humanity  by  the 
great  Jehovah  himself,  including  every  other  act  necessary  to 
the  accomplishment  of  the  redemption  and  salvation  of  mankind. 
His  words,  which  are  both  spirit  and  life,  are  of  themselves  suf- 
ficient to  settle  for  ever  the  question  concerning  his  sole,  supreme, 
and  exclusive  Divinity;  and  thus  to  seal  up  in  everlasting  silence 
the  lips  of  all  those,  who  either  deny  him,  betray  him,  or  refuse 
to  acknowledge  him  as  their  God  and  Lord  ;  their  Creator,  Re- 
deemer, and  Saviour ;  their  Parent  and  Benefactor,  whose  mer- 
cies are  without  limitation,  and  who  from  those  bowels  of  com- 
passion, which  truly  characterize  a  Divine  Humanity,  and  a  Hu- 
man Divinity,  regards  with  infinite  and  unceasing  tenderness 
every  intelligent  creature,  the  offspring  of  his  everlasting  and  un- 
changeable love. 


MARK. 


[PRELIMINARY.] 

HAVING  now  collected  from  the  Gospel  by  Matthew  some 
of  the  most  striking  passages  in  proof  of  the  doctrine  incul- 
cated in  this  volume ;  and  having  endeavoured  to  place  them  in 
their  true  and  genuine  light,  with  a  view  to  check  as  well  the 
Trinitarian  system,  as  the  still  more  dangerous  errors  of  Unita- 
rianism ;  Ave  might  here  have  concluded  our  work,  under  a  full 


160  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

conviction,  that  tlie  great  object.  Avliich  we  first  liad  in  \*ievv, 
has  been  completely  obtained,  and  that  an  eft'ectual  Seal  has 
been  already  placed  upon  the  lips  of  all  those,  who  refuse  to  ac- 
knowledge the  sole,  supreme,  and  exclusive  divinity  of  our  Lord 
and  Saviour  Jesvs  Christ.  But  that  nothing  may  be  wanting 
to  render  the  silence  thus  imposed  upon  them  both  solemn  and 
permanent,  we  shall  confirm  the  doctrine  of  Matthew  by  adding 
to  it  that  of  the  three  other  evangelical  witnesses,  Mark,  Luke, 
and  John,  together  with  the  closing  evidence  of  the  Apocalypse 
by  the  last  named  apostle,  whose  united  testimony  cannot  fail  to 
command  the  respect  even  of  adversaries,  while  it  stamps  our 
Seal  with  the  indelible  impression  of  divine  authority. 

That  we  may  not,  however,  on  our  part,  trespass  too  much  on 
the  patience  and  candour  of  the  reader,  who  has  accompanied  us 
thus  far,  we  shall  in  the  succeeding  pages  adopt  a  more  concise 
method,  than  that  already  observed,  but  which,  we  trust,  will 
be  found  equally  effectual  in  demonstrating  what  we  have  so 
much  at  heart,  because  it  contains  so  much  of  eternal  truth,  the 
absolute  divinity  of  Jesus  our  Lord.  We  shall,  therefore,  out 
of  the  great  abundance  of  testimonies  of  this  description  lying 
before  us,  bring  forward  only  those,  not  hitherto  noticed,  or  but 
slightly  touched  upon,  which  we  conceive  most  plainly  and  ma- 
nifestly to  exhibit  him  in  a  character  infinitely  surpassing  that  of 
every  other  man,  and  which  for  the  most  part  shall  be  accompa- 
nied with  only  a  short  reflection  or  observation  on  each,  in  order 
that  the  attention  may  be  fixed,  and  at  the  same  time  our  de- 
votion excited  towards  him,  who  alone  is  entitled  to  such  re- 
turn for  all  his  mercies.  And  while  we  thus  close  the  lips  of 
his  avowed,  as  well  as  of  his  concealed  enemies,  may  other 
mouths  be  opened,  other  tongues  unloosed,  and  other  hearts  in- 
spired, to  join  in  that  new  angelic  song  of  praise  and  celebration, 
which  is  now  spreading  in  the  earth,  and  which  henceforth  can 
never  cease  to  ascend  to  him  who  sits  upon  the  throne  of  heaven, 
and  to  the  Lamb,  that  is,  to  the  One  Only  Loud  God  Almighty 
in  his  divinelv-human  form. 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  161 

[49.]  MARK  i.  23,  24.  "  There  was  in  the  synagogue  a 
"  man  with  an  unclean  spirit,  and  he  cried  out,  saying,  Let  us 
^'  alone,  what  have  we  to  do  with  thee,  thou  Jesus  of  Nazareth  r 
"•'  art  thou  come  to  destroy  us  ?  I  know  thee  who  thou  art,  the 
•><  IIoli/  One  of  God.-^ 


The  unclean  spirit,  who  was  a  devil  or  demon,  knew  the  cha- 
racter of  Jesus,  and  evidently  dreaded  his  poiver  as  a  Being  of 
superior  order  to  himself,  acknowledging  him  to  be  the  Hohj  One 
of  God.  And  yet  it  is  written  of  the  Lord  God  Mmighiy,  Apoc. 
XV.  4,  "  Who  shall  not  fear  thee,  0  Lord,  and  glorify  thy  name  ? 
"  for  tho7i  only  art  holy.^^  The  inference  is  too  plain  to  need 
pointing  out.  If  men  knew  not  the  real  character  of  Jesus,  it  is 
plain  the  devils  did ;  and  knowing  it,  they  could  not  refrain  from 
proclaiming  it,  though  in  ver.  25,  and  in  chap.  iii.  12,  he  com- 
manded them  to  "  hold  their  peace  ;"  and  "  straitly  charged 
*'  them,  that  they  should  not  make  him  known."  For  if  he  "  re- 
*'  ceive  not  testimony  from  man,^^  John  v.  34,  still  less  does  he 
require  it  from  the  mouth  of  a  devil. 


[50.]  Mark  vii.  37".    "  The  people  were  beyond  measure  asto- 
*'  nished,  saying,  He  hath  done  all  things  well.^^ 


Of  no  mere  man  can  such  testimony  be  given  :  "  for  in  many 
'•  things  we  offetid  all,''^  James  iii.  2.  The  prophet  says,  "  The 
"  heart  is  deceitful  above  all  things,  and  desperately  wicked,^' 
Jer.  xvii.  9.  And  we  know,  that  a  corrupt  tree  cannot  bring 
forth  good  fruit.  "  Jehovah  looked  down  from  heaven  upon  the 
"  children  of  men,  to  see  if  tliere  were  any  that  did  understand, 
'•  and  seek  God.  They  are  all  gone  aside,  they  are  all  together 
•'  become  filthy:  there  is  none  that  doth  good,  no  not  one,"  Ps.  xiv. 
2,  3.  "  There  is  none  righteous,  no  not  one,^^  Rom.  iii.  10.  Of 
Jesus,  however,  it  is  written,  that  "  no  unrighteousness  is  in 
"  him,^''  John  vii.  18.  And  in  another  place  he  further  says, 
<'  Which  of  you  convinceth  (or  rather  covvicteth)  me  of  sin?''' 

X 


16:2  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

John  viii.  4G  ;  evidently  claiming  to  be  exempt  from  the  guilt  of 
evil,  and  consequently,  as  there  is  none  good  but  one,  which  is 
God,  to  be  himself  that  One  God. 


\_51.']  Mark  xiv.  I'ii  to  16.  '•  And  the  first  day  of  unleavened 
''  bread,  when  they  killed  the  passover,  his  disciples  said  unto 
'•  him.  Where  wilt  thou  that  we  go  and  prepare,  that  thou  mayest 
'•  eat  the  passover  ?  And  he  sendeth  forth  two  of  his  disciples, 
'•  and  saith  unto  them.  Go  ye  into  the  city,  and  there  shall  meet 
'•  you  a  man  bearing  a  pitcher  of  water :  follow  him.  And  where- 
"  soever  he  shall  go  in,  say  ye  to  the  good-man  of  the  house.  The 
"  Master  saith,  AVhere  is  the  guest-chamber,  where  I  shall  eat 
"  the  passover  with  my  disciples  i  And  he  will  shew  you  a  large 
"  upper  room  furnished  and  prepared  :  there  make  ready  for  us. 
<'  And  his  disciples  went  forth,  and  came  into  the  city,  and 
^^  found  as  he  had  said  unto  them^     See  also  Luke  xxii.  8  to  13. 


On  this  occasion  we  find  the  character  of  Jesus  distinguished 
by  a  knowledge  most  clearly  super-human  and  super-natural:  for 
he  not  only  foretels  what  are  usually  called  contingencies,  but 
also  minutely  describes  them  as  to  their  circumstances  ;  in  all  of 
which  his  disciples  found  him  to  be  strictly  correct. 

A  similar  demonstration  of  super-natural  knowledge  Jesus  also 
gave,  in  the  case  of  Nathanael,  whom  he  saw  "  while  under  the 
"  fig-tree,"  and  whose  character  he  described,  when  yet  at  a  dis- 
tance, as  "  an  Israelite  indeed,  in  whom  is  no  guile,"  John  i.  47, 
48.  The  same  superior  knowledge  he  discovered,  when  he  or- 
dered his  disciples  to  bring  him  an  ass,  with  her  colt,  which  he 
said  tliey  would  find  in  a  particular  place,  and  under  particular 
circumstances,  as  related  in  Matt.  xxi.  1  to  5,  and  in  two  of  the 
other  Evangelists :  As  he  did  also  in  the  case  of  the  woman  of 
Samaria,  whom  he  told,  that  "  she  had  had  five  husbands;  and 
^  that  the  man,  with  whom  she  then  cohabited,  was  not  her  hus- 
'•  band,"  John  iv.  18.  Not  to  mention  a  variety  of  other  cases, 
in  all  of  which  he  displayed  a  knowledge,  that  falls  not  within 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  163 

liie  compass  of  mere  human  sagacity,  l)ut  which  with  him  alone 
multiplied  and  increased,  in  the  exact  proportion  in  which  he 
glorified  his  human  essence,  or  in  other  words,  made  it  divine. 

How  different  is  this  from  the  case  of  the  prophets  of  old,  who 
indeed  predicted  future  events,  yet  not  from  themselves,  or  by 
any  wisdom  of  their  oicn,  but  solely  from  the  Word  0/ Jehovah, 
which  came  unto  them!  Elisha  could  foretel,  that  "the  Shu- 
"  nammite  woman  would  bear  a  son  at  the  appointed  season," 
2  Kings  iv.  16,  17:  but  when  the  same  child  died,  and  the  mo- 
ther waited  upon  the  prophet  in  her  distress,  he  still  knew  no- 
thing of  the  event ;  for  he  declares  in  ver.  27,  "  Jehovah  hath 
"  hid  it  from  me,  and  hath  not  told  ?ue."  Never  did  any  one  of 
the  prophets  speak  from  a  self-derived  autliority,  or  from  a  source 
of  prescience  and  unerring  wisdom  within  himself,  and  proper 
to  himself,  as  it  is  plain  from  the  whole  history  of  Jesus  that  he 
did. 


[52.]  Mark  xiv.  18.  "  As  they  sat  and  did  eat,  Jesus  said, 
"  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  One  of  you,  which  eateth  with  me, 
"  shall  betray  me."  See  also  Matt.  xxvi.  21.  Luke  xxii.  21. 
John  xiii.  21. 


This  prediction  was  afterwards  fully  verified  in  the  person  of 
Judas  Iscariot.  Moral  events  are  certainly  governed  and  regu- 
lated by  different  laws  from  those,  which  bring  about  physical 
events :  and  as  the  former  are  more  interior  in  their  nature,  and 
likewise  more  intricate  and  remote  from  the  perception  of  man 
in  their  descent  from  cause  to  effect,  the  perfect  knowledge  of 
them,  which  Jesus  evinced,  argues  a  wisdom  high  above  human 
capacity,  and  leads  us  at  once  to  the  idea  of  his  divine  pre- 
science. 


164  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

\^5S.^  Mark  xiv.  27  to  31.  "  Jesus  saith  unto  them,  Ml  ye 
"  shall  be  offended  because  of  me  this  night:  for  it  is  written,  i 
"  will  smite  the  Shepherd,  and  the  sheep  shall  be  scattered.  But 
<'  after  that  1  am  risen,  I  will  go  before  you  into  Galilee.  But 
"  Peter  said  unto  him,  Although  all  shall  be  offended,  yet  will 
"  not  I.  And  Jesus  saith  unto  him.  Verily  I  say  unto  thee,  that 
«  this  day,  even  in  this  night  before  the  cock  crow  twice,  ihoii 
"  shalt  deny  me  thrice.  But  he  spake  the  more  vehemently,  If  I 
"  should  die  with  thee,  I  icill  not  deny  thee  in  any  tvise.  Like- 
*'  wise  also  said  they  all.^^  See  also  Matt.  xxvi.  31  to  35.  Luke 
xxii.  31  to  34.     John  xviii.  IT,  25,  27. 


The  same  observation,  which  was  made  above,  will  equally  ap- 
ply to  the  present  passage.  The  smiting  of  the  Shepherd,  and  the 
scattering  of  the  sheep,  but  especially  Peter's  denial  of  his  Master 
three  times  in  one  night  before  the  cock  crew  twice,  notwithstand- 
ing the  natural  resoluteness  of  his  character,  and  his  being  dis- 
tinctly  forewarned  of  the  trial,  which  would  deprive  him  of  his 
courage,  all  bear  testimony  again,  as  incontrovertible  facts,  which 
afterwards  literally  took  place,  in  proof  of  our  Saviour's  being 
possessed  of  a  knowledge  surpassing  the  lot  of  wiere  humanity. 


[54.]  Mark  xvi.  17,  18.  Jesus  said  to  his  disciples,  "  These 
"  signs  shall  follow  them  that  believe :  In  my  name  shall  they 
"  cast  out  rfet" i/«,  they  shall  speak  with  new  tongues,  they  shall 
«  take  up  serpents^  and  if  they  drink  any  deadly  thing,  it  shall 
"  not  hurt  them;  they  shall  lay  hands  on  the  sick,  and  they  shall 
^'  recoucr." 


To  do  all  this  in  the  name,  that  is,  hy  the  sole  authority  and 
power  of  Jesus,  without  reference  to  any  superior  being,  most 
clearly  involves  divinity  on  the  part  of  Jesus  himself,  who  gives 
such  power;  and  on  the  part  of  his  di&ciples,  an  unshaken  faith 
in  him,  as  the  One  Omnipotent  Gocjl  of  heaven  and  earth. 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  165 


LUKE. 


[PRELIMINARY.] 

IT  has  been  asserted  by  some  of  the  most  distinguished  wri- 
ters in  favour  of  Unitarianism,  particularly  the  late  Dr.  Priestley, 
that  "  the  Gospel  of  Luke  abounds  with  the  most  manifest  im- 
"  probabilities:^^  and  hence  they  would  recommend  extreme  cau- 
tion in  listening  to  the  testimony  of  this  Evangelist,  lest — for- 
sooth— the  absolute  Divinity  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ  should  be  established  to  the  conviction  and  satisfaction 
of  the  unprejudiced  reader.  But  we  believe,  and  rejoice  in  the 
reflection,  that  such  a  divine  authority  has  been  preserved  entire 
and  uncorrupted  in  the  church.  Without  hesitation,  therefore, 
without  suspicion  of  error  in  this  or  in  any  other  of  the  Gospels, 
but  in  the  fullest  confidence  arising  from  a  perception  of  it's  con- 
tents, we  draw  from  this  well  the  same  water  of  life,  the  same 
doctrine  of  eternal  truth,  as  we  do  from  the  other  wells  of  sal- 
vation, that  lie  equally  open  and  uncovered  in  the  Sacred  Scrip- 
tures. 


[55.2  LUKE  i.  17.  «  And  he  [Jehn  the  Baptist]  shall  go  be- 
^^fore  the  Lord  in  the  spirit  and  power  of  Elias,  to  turn  the 
"  hearts  of  the  fathers  to  the  children,  and  the  disobedient  to  the 
*'  wisdom  of  the  just,  to  make  ready  a  people  prepared  for  the 
"  Lord." 


This  prophecy  of  the  angel  Gabriel,  in  reference  to  John 
the  Baptist,  the  forerunner  of  Jesus,  is  nearly  a  repetition  of 
that  of  the  prophet  Malachi,  chap.  iv.  5,  6,  concerning  Elijah, 


166  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

whose  appearance  was  to  take  place  before  the  coming  of  the 
great  and  dreadful  day  of  Jehovah.  And  as  John  the  Baptist, 
who  prepared  the  way  of  Jesus,  (John  i.  15,  30,  31  ;  chap,  iii, 
28.)  was  expressly  declared  by  our  Lord  himself  to  be  the  per- 
son understood  by  the  prophet  Elijah,  who  was  to  prepare  the 
way  of  Jehovah,  it  most  evidently  follows,  as  one  of  the  plain- 
est and  grandest  truths  of  divine  revelation,  that  Jesus  was  no 
other  than  the  great  Jehovah  in  the  human  form. 


[56.]  Luke  i.  41.  "  And  it  came  to  pass,  that  when  Elizabeth 
"  heard  the  salutation  of  Mary,  the  babe  leaped  in  her  womb  :  and 
"  Elizabeth  was  filled  with  the  Holy  Sjnrit.^^ 


The  Holy  Spirit  istheholy  influence  proceeding  from  Jehovah 
when  in  the  Humanity  :  and  as  the  Humanity  was  now  already 
assumed,  it  is  therefore  said  in  reference  to  that,  and  also  to  it's 
future  glorification,  that  Elizabeth,  on  hearing  the  voice  of  Mary, 
was  filled  with  the  Holy  Spirit.  It  is  however  written  in  John 
Tii.  39,  that  "  the  Holy  Spirit  was  not  yet,  because  that  Jesus 
*•  was  not  yet  glorified :"  which  passage,  compared  with  the  for- 
mer, and  some  others  in  the  Gospels,  furnishes  a  proof,  that  the 
influence  proceeding  from  Jehovah,  which  before  the  incarna- 
tion was  called  simply  the  Spirit,  or  the  Spirit  of  Jehovah, 
was  at  and  after  the  incarnation  called  the  Holy  Spirit ;  though, 
strictly  speaking,  this  latter  name  more  properly  belongs  to  the 
spirit  or  influence  immediately  proceeding  from  the  glorified  or 
Divine  Humanity  of  Jesus  Christ.  Hence  it  is,  that  he  pro- 
mised his  disciples,  that  he  would  send  them  the  Comforter,  the 
Spirit  of  truth,  after  his  departure  from  tliem,  that  is,  after  his 
return  to  the  Father,  and  full  union  with  him,  whicli  is  the  same 
thing  as  his  full  glorification.  This  promise  he  also  fulfilled, 
when  after  his  resurrection  "  he  breathed  on  his  disciples,  and 
"  said,  Receive  ye  the  Holy  Spirit,^^  John  xx.  22. 

From  these  premises,  tlien,  it  follows,  that,  as  the  Holy  Spirit 
is  the  holy  influence  proceeding  from  Jehovah  in  the  Humanity, 


Unitarians,  Trinitarians,  &c.         ler 

ami  as  this  influence  proceeds  directly  out  of  the  glorified  per- 
son of  Jesus,  beyond  all  further  controversy  he  must  be  God, 
and  God  alone. 


[57.]  Luke  ii.  11.  "  Unto  you  is  born  this  dnii^  in  the  city  of 
"  David,  a  Saviouv.,  which  is  Christ  the  Loud." 

Are  there  in  the  cliurch,  or  can  there  be  in  heaven,  any  more 
Saviours  than  one?  Let  the  highest  authority  in  the  universe  give 
the  answer.  "  J,  even  7,  am  Jehovah,  and  beside  me  there  is  no 
"  Saviour,'^  Isa.  xliii.  11.  But  did  it  ever  enter  in(o  the  head  or 
the  heart  of  man  to  conceive,  tliat  the  great  Jehovah,  who  in- 
habits eternity,  sliould  or  could  in  any  possible  respect  be  born 
as  a  Man  in  the  world,  and  make  his  first  appearance  in  the  city 
of  David,  in  Bethlehem,  a  mere  village  of  Judea  ?  Hear  the  lan- 
guage of  prophecy:  "But  thou,  Bethlehem-Ephratah,  though 
"  thou  be  little  among  the  thousands  of  Judah,  y(ti  out  of  thee 
"  shall  he  come  forth  unto  me,  that  is  to  be  Ruler  in  Israel^ 
"  whose  goings  forth  have  been  from  of  old,  from  everlasting,''^ 
Micah  v.  2.  " Unto  us  a  Child  is  born,  unto  us  a  Son  is  given, 
"  and  the  government  shall  be  upon  his  shoulder :  and  his  name 
"  shall  be  called  Wonderful,  Counsellor,  the  Mig-hty  God,  the 
"  Everlasting  Father,  the  Prince  of  peace,"  Isa.  ix.  6. 

Listen,  ye  Trinitarians  and  Unitarians,  to  this  voice  out  of 
heaven,  while  it  is  still  sounding  in  your  ears,  unless  tkey  are 
sealed,  as  well  as  your  lips  ;  and  no  longer  dream  of  any  Son 
born  from  eternity,  mucli  less  of  any  mortal  man, ^ov  finite  ivorm^ 
undertaking  the  work  of  redemption  and  salvation ;  but  for  once 
Learn,  that  the  Lvfinite  and  the  Eternal  Himself  came  down 
upon  earth,  and,  hiding  his  glories,  for  a  time  sustained  the  ciia- 
racter  of  a  Man  ;  and  because  there  was  no  other  help,  no  other 
power  to  save,  that  tiierefore,  out  of  pure  love  and  mercy  to  hi-s 
fallen  creatures,  he  himself  became  their  Saviour  and  Redeemer; 
tlvereby  proving  himself  still  to  be,  what  from  eternity  he  ever 


im  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

had  been,  the  Mighty  God,  the  Everlasting  Father,  the  Prince  of 
peace. 


[58.]  Luke  ii.  42  to  50.  "  When  he  was  tivelve  years  old,  thej 
"  went  up  to  Jerusalem,  after  the  custom  of  the  feast.  And  when 
"  they  had  fulfilled  the  days,  as  the}^  returned,  the  child  Jesus 
"  tarried  behind  in  Jerusalem ;  and  Joseph  and  his  mother  knew 
"  not  of  it.  But  they  supposing  him  to  have  been  in  the  compa- 
"  ny,  went  a  day's  journey  ;  and  they  sought  him  among  their 
"  kinsfolk  and  acquaintance.  And  when  they  found  liim  not.* 
"  they  turned  back  again  to  Jerusalem,  seeking  him.  And  it 
"  came  to  pass,  that  after  three  days  they  found  him  in  the  tem- 
^^ple,  sitting  in  the  midst  of  the  doctors,  both  hearing  them,  and 
"  asking  them  questions.  And  all  that  heard  him  icere  astonished 
<'  at  his  understanding  and  ansivers.  And  when  they  sanv  him, 
"  they  were  amazed  :  and  his  mother  said  unto  him,  vSon,  why 
"  hast  thou  thus  dealt  with  us  .''  behold,  thy  father  and  I  have 
"  sought  thee  sorrowing.  And  he  said  unto  them.  How  is  it  that 
"  ye  sought  me  ?  wist  ye  not  that  I  must  be  about  my  Father's 
'•  business?  And  they  understood  not  the  saying,  which  he  spake 
"  unto  them." 


Let  it  be  ever  remembered,  that  the  Father  Jehovah  is  the 
purely  divine  essence,  which  was  within  the  child  Jesus  from 
his  first  conception,  as  an  interior  soul  within  it's  body.  But  this 
divine  essence  could  not,  according  to  order,  be  manifestly  and 
fully  received  by  the  human  form,  until  external  knowledges  had 
been  acquired  by  learning  and  experience,  as  vessels  to  contain 
and  exhibit  the  divine  wisdom  flowing  from  it's  proper  source  :  in 
like  manner  as  in  every  man,  the  facjdties,  wliich  are  innate  and 
connate  with  the  soul,  cannot  fully  and  adequately  descend  into 
it's  organized  form  the  body,  until  by  instruction,  learning,  and 
science,  this  latter  is  prepared  for  the  perfect  exercise  and  mani- 
festation of  mere  human  intelligence. 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  169 

In  the  case  of  the  Lord,  as  he  was  pleased  to  be  bom  like 
another  man,  (yet  of  necessity  retaining  this  most  essential  dif- 
ference, that  his  inmost  principle  was  the  pure  Divinity,  life  it- 
self, while  with  every  other  man  his  inmost  principle  is  only  a 
form  receptive  of  life  from  God, J  he  gradually  acquired,  or  re- 
ceived into  his  Humanity,  from  his  own  essential  Divinity  within 
him,  those  qualities,  attributes,  and  perfections,  which  character' 
ized  him  in  the  first  place  as  the  Child  Jesus,  the  Son  of  the 
Highest,  and  the  Son  of  God  ;  but  at  length,  when  all  the  divine 
perfections  were  fully  incorporated^  (as  Paul  well  expresses  it,) 
or  united  with  his  Humanity,  that  is,  agreeably  to  our  Lord's 
own  words,  when  "  all  things  belonging  to  the  Father  were  /its," 
John  xvi.  15,  or  wlien  "  all  poicer  was  given  unto  him  in  heaven 
"  andin  earth,^^  Matt,  xxviii.  18,  then — then  he  became  even  as 
to  his  Humanity,  what  from  all  eternity  he  had  been  as  to  his 
Divinity,  the  Supreme  and  Mighty  God,  the  Everlasting 
Father  of  angels  and  men. 

Keeping  now  in  mind  the  great  process  here  imperfectly  de- 
scribed, by  which  every  man  in  his  degree  becomes  both  rational 
and  spiritual ;  and  remembering  that  the  Lord  glorified  his  Hu- 
manity, or  united  it  with  the  pure  Divinity  within  him,  in  a  way 
similar  to,  but  infinitely  surpassing,  that  in  which  man  is  regene- 
rated, or  new-modelled  in  all  the  interior  and  exterior  principles 
of  his  life  ;  where  is  the  difficulty  in  perceiving  the  true  ground 
and  reason  why  Jesus  at  one  time,  or  in  one  state,  is  called  the 
Son,  and  at  another  time,  or  in  another  state,  is  acknowledged  as 
the  Father  himself?  why  also  it  is  said,  ver.  52,  that  he  grew  in 
wisdom,  as  he  grew  in  stature  P  and  finally  why,  after  passing 
through  all  the  stages  of  the  reception  of  life,  he  is  at  length  de- 
clared to  be  the  very  life  itself,  and  consequently  wholly,  com- 
pletely, and  exclusively,  God  alone  ? 

And  here,  once  for  all,  let  an  answer  be  put  in  to  that  Unita- 
rian objection  against  tlie  divinity  of  Jesus,  which  is  so  trium- 
phantly drawn  from  the  Gospel  of  Mark,  chap.  xiii.  32  :  "  But  of 
"  that  day  and  that  hour"  (speaking  of  the  consummation  of  the 
age,  the  last  judgment,  and  the  commencement  of  a  new  church  in 
the  room  of  the  former,)  "  knoweth  no  man,  no  not  the  angels 

y 


170  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

«  which  are  in  heaven,  neither  the  Son,  but  tlie  Father."  We 
have  already  seen  how,  wlij,  and  in  what  respect,  it  is  said,  that 
Jesus  is  the  Father,  as  well  as  the  Son.  If  we  are  correct  in  the 
view,  which  we  have  taken  of  the  different  characters  sustained 
by  him  while  in  the  world,  and  after  he  had  left  it,  no  impeach- 
ment whatever  can  be  laid  against  his  supreme  and  exclusive 
Divinity  on  the  ground  of  his  being  called  in  one  capacity  the 
Son,  to  whom  some  things  were  unknoivn,  Avliile  he  is  proved  te 
be  in  9.nother  capacity  the  very  same  personage  who  is  also  de- 
nominated the  Father,  to  whom  all  things  are  most  intimately 
and  perfectly  known.  Until  Ids  Humanity  was  fully  united  with  .. 
his  Divinity,  which  great  work  was  only  in  progression  with  him 
from  infancy  to  the  last  period  of  his  life  in  the  world,  many 
things  might  be  concealed  from  the  former,  which  yet  lay  open 
to  the  view  of  the  latter :  and  indeed  this  is  evident  from  the 
circumstance  of  his  increasing  in  wisdom,  while  he  grew  in  sta- 
ture :  which  plainly  enough  shews,  that  he  was  not  as  yet,  while 
an  Infant,  a  Child,  and  a  Son,  externally,  or  as  to  his  Humanity, 
possessed  of  all  those  divine  properties,  which  afterwards  cha- 
racterized him  as  the  Supreme  God,  tiie  Father  of  heaven. 

No  one  ever  pretended  to  say,  that  as  a  Child  he  was  the  Fa- 
ther, or  that  as  a  recipient  he  was  the  very  fountain  of  life  it- 
self ;  because  this  would  be  nothing  less  than  a  contradiction  in 
terms.  But  this  is  the  language,  the  sentiment,  the  doctrine  of 
eternal  truth,  That  he,  who  appeared  on  earth  as  a  Child,  a  Son, 
a  Man,  and  was  so  called,  because  surrounded  with  the  infirmi- 
ties of  mere  humanity,  was  nevertheless,  considered  as  to  his  in- 
terior life,  or  the  divine  essence  within  him,  the  Father  himself: 
and  further,  That  as  to  his  divine  human  form  now  united  with 
his  divine  essence,  and  by  glorification  perfectly  free  from  every 
character  and  quality  of  the  mere  finite  humanity,  he  is  truly  and 
properly  the  One  Ever-living  Jehovah,  besides  whom  there  is 
no  Father,  no  God,  either  in  heaven  above,  or  on  the  earth  below. 
Nothing  is  more  common  in  the  Evangelical  Word,  than  for 
Jesus,  as  the  Son,  to  pray  to  the  Father  to  aid  and  assist  him 
with  his  divine  love,  his  divine  wisdom,  and  his  divine  power ; 
vind  this  in  such  a  strain  of  humility,  as  evidently  to  denote  his 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  171 

inferiority  at  the  time  of  so  praying.  It  is  in  reference  to  this 
his  state  of  humiliation,  that  he  says,  "  The  Father  is  greater 
"  than  /,"  John  xiv.  28.  But  when  he  rises  from  this  state  of 
humiliation  into  his  state  of  g-Zori^cofion,  which  is  the  same  thing 
as  his  union  or  identification  with  the  Father,  he  then  uses  a  dif- 
ferent language,  and  speaks  in  terms  like  the  following :  "  I  and 
'»  the  Father  are  One,''''  John  x.  SO.  "  lie  that  hath  seen  me,  hath 
"  seen  the  Father,''''  John  xiv.  9.  "  All  things  that  the  Father 
"  hath,  are  mine,  John  xvi.  15.  "  Jill  power  is  given  unto  me  in 
"  heaven  and  in  e-arth,^'  Matt,  xxviii.  18. 

Here  most  evidently  an  imperfect  state  precedes  that  which  ia 
perfect ;  and  the  existence  of  the  one  does  not  preclude  the  pos- 
sibility, or  even  the  future  actuality  of  the  other.  Why  then 
should  the  solitary  passage  in  Mark,  which  ascribes  inferiority  to 
the  Son,  and  superiority  to  the  Father,  in  regard  to  the  perfec- 
tion of  knowledge,  be  considered  as  any  greater  proof  of  the  want 
of  divinity  in  Jesus,  than  the  many  other  passages  in  the  Gospels, 
which  in  like  manner  treat  of  his  state  of  humiliation,  while  in 
the  infirm  humanity,  previous  to  his  entering  into  that  full  state 
of  glorification,  which  identifies  him  as  one  with  the  Father  in 
every  possible  respect.^  The  answer  to  any  one  of  such  objec- 
tions is  an  answer  to  them  all :  and  indeed  the  particular  objec- 
tion, which  we  are  now  combating,  and  which  with  many  others 
was  started  by  the  late  Dr.  Priestley  upwards  of  twenty  years 
ago,  received  at  that  time  so  ample  a  discussion,  and  in  the  opi- 
nion of  many  so  satisfactory  an  answer,  that  our  present  observa- 
tions might  perhaps  have  been  well  spared.  However,  as  they 
are  now  given,  and  may  possibly  be  of  service  to  some,  who  have 
never  seen  or  heard  of  the  Author's  Letters  to  l)r.  Priestley,  in 
Defence  of  the  JYew  Jerusalem,  and  in  Proof  of  the  exclusive  Di- 
vinity o/ Jesus  Christ,  let  them  remain,  and  be  digested  by  the 
reader,  together  with  another  explanatory  remark  or  two  on  the 
subject,  as  follows. 

The  Lord  is  distinguished  in  the  Gospels  by  various  names : 
among  others  he  is  sometimes  called  the  Son  of  God,  sometimes 
the  Son  of  Man,  and  at  other  times  simply  the  Son,  which  latter 
expression  may  be  referred  to  either  of  the  two  former,  according 


172  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

to  the  nature  of  the  subject  treated  of.  In  general,  by  the  Son  of 
God  is  meant  tlie  Lord  as  to  his  divine  person  ;  but  by  the  Son 
of  Man,  the  Lord  as  to  the  Word,  or  as  to  the  divine  truth  con- 
tained in  the  Word.  And  further,  by  the  Son  of  Man  before  glo- 
rification is  denoted  the  Word  in  it's  literal  sense,  or  such  as  -vve 
have  it  on  eartli ;  but  by  the  Son  of  Man  icJien  glorified,  tlie 
Word  in  it's  spiritual  sense,  or  such  as  angels  have  it  in  heaven. 
Now  when  it  is  said,  in  reference  to  the  last  judgment,  &c.  that 
"  of  that  day  and  hour  knoweth  no  man,  no  not  the  angels  wliicli 
"  are  in  heaven,  neither  the  Son,  but  the  Father,"  we  are  in- 
structed by  the  Lord,  that  the  precise  state  of  the  church,  what  it 
would  be  at  it's  end  or  entire  consummation,  is  neither  revealed 
to  men,  nor  to  angels,  because  it  is  not  particularly  described  in 
the  Word  either  in  it's  literal  or  in  it's  spiritual  sense.  For  what 
is  not  contained  or  not  described  in  the  Word,  and  thus  as  it  were 
not  present  with  the  Word,  may  properly  be  said  not  to  be  known 
by  the  Word,  or  by  the  Son,  who  (as  Ave  have  already  seen)  is 
the  divine  truth  of  the  Word  :  in  like  manner  as  the  workers  of 
iniquity,  and  the  foolish  virgins,  who  were  not  spiriiually  present 
with  the  Lord,  that  is,  not  in  conjunction  with  him,  are  said  not 
to  be  known  by  the  Lord,  Matt.  vii.  ^23  ;  chap.  xxv.  12:  or  again, 
in  like  manner  as  it  is  written  even  of  the  Omxiscient  Jehovah 
himself,  that  the  wickedness  of  the  Israelites  was  so  great,  that 
he  had  no  previous  idea  of  it's  ever  coming  to  such  a  pitch,  as  he 
afterwards  found  it  did.  For,  says  he,  "  They  build  the  high 
"  places  of  Baal,  which  are  in  the  valley  of  the  son  of  Hinnom, 
"  to  cause  their  sons  and  their  daughters  to  pass  through  the 
"  fire  unto  Molech,  which  I  commanded  them  not,  neither  came 
"  it  into  my  mind,  that  they  should  do  this  abomination  to  cause 
"  Judah  to  sin,^^  Jer.  xxxii.  35.  And  yet  every  event,  every  state 
of  good  or  evil,  and  every  individual,  whether  in  or  out  of  the 
church,  must  be  perfectly  known  by  him,  who  is  no  less  than  the 
God  of  the  Word,  of  the  church,  and  of  the  universe,  that  is,  the 
Omniscient,  as  well  as  the  Omnipotent  Father  of  all. 

Moreover  it  is  to  be  o1)served,  that,  as  by  the  So7i  is  meant  the 
divine  truth  proceeding  from  the  Lord,  which  is  the  same  thing  as 
the  divine  truth  accommodated  to  the  apprehension  of  the  crea- 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  173 

iure  ;  and  as  it  is  impossible  that  any  finite  being  can  acquire  a 
iiistinct  and  perfect  knowledge  of  all  the  interior  states  of  life  ap- 
pertaining to  so  many  millions  and  millions  of  souls,  as  constitute 
the  vast  assemblage  of  those  who  were  to  be  judged  either  to  hea- 
ven or  to  hell,  therefore,  to  point  out  this  inherent  incapacity, 
both  in  men  and  in  angels,  to  search  and  try  the  human  heart,  and 
thus  to  sit  in  judgment  upon  mankind,  it  is  written,  that  not  even 
the  Son  himself  is  acquainted  with  the  day  and  the  hour  of  that 
great  event,  but  the  Father  only :  by  wi,iich  is  signified,  that  such 
knowledge  and  wisdom  cannot  form  any  part  of  that  divine  truth 
which  is  communicated  or  accommodated  to  the  creature,  and  con- 
sequently no  part  of  that  divine  truth  which  is  said  to  proceed 
frmn  the  Lord,  and  which  on  that  account  is  called  the  Son  :  For 
by  each  of  these  expressions,  whether  it  be  the  Son,  or  the  divine 
truth  proceeding  from  the  Lord,  or  the  divine  truth  communica- 
ted and  accommodated  to  the  creature,  still,  as  before  stated,  one 
and  the  same  thing  is  understood.  And  thus  we  find,  after  due 
investigation  of  the  subject,  tliat  the  passage  in  question  makes 
nothing  in  favour  either  of  the  Unitarian  or  the  Trinitarian  doc- 
trine, but  on  the  contrary  exalts  him,  who  is  qualified  to  be  the 
Judge  both  of  the  living  and  of  the  dead,  infinitely  above  all  that 
can  possibly  be  apprehended  by  finite  minds,  because  it  makes 
him  in  his  highest  capacity  to  be  the  Omniscient  Father  him- 
self. 

To  return,  after  this  long  digression,  to  Jesus  in  the  temple, 
where  we  left  him  "  sitting  in  the  midst  of  the  doctors,  both  hear- 
"  ing  tliem,  and  asking  questions  :"  it  is  evident,  that  tliough  he 
acquired  knowledge  and  understanding  in  the  usual  way,  he  yet 
advanced  more  rapidly  and  perfectly  than  other  men  ;  for  at 
twelve  years  of  age  he  gave  such  proofs  of  superior  wisdom,  as 
to  astonish  all  who  heard  him.  And  it  seems  he  was  then  em- 
ployed in  the  great  work  of  redemption,  which  he  terms  his  Fa- 
ther'^s  business,  because  the  divine  love  within  him  (signified  by 
the  Father)  prompted  him  both  to  undertake  and  to  accomplish 
it.  That  it  was  not  Joseph,  wliom  he  meant  by  his  Father,  must 
be  plain  to  every  reader :  for  hearing  th&  doctors,  asking  them 
questions,  and  giving  them  .-mswers,  had  no  reference  whatever 


174  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

to  the  manual  employment  oi  \\\?>  reputed  father ,  but  solely  to  that 
divine  business,  for  which  he  came  into  the  world. 

It  is  true,  that  Mary  his  mother,  on  expostulating  with  him  for 
absenting  himself  from  her  and  the  rest  of  the  company  without 
their  knowledge,  uses  the  following  words  :  "  Son,  why  hast  thou 
"  thus  dealt  with  us  ?  Behold,  thy  father  (meaning  Joseph)  and 
"  I  have  sought  thee  sorrowing."  Now,  althougli  the  two  first 
chapters  of  Luke  are  rejected  by  the  Socinian  Unitarians,  as  too 
miraculous  to  be  true,  yet,  as  the  present  passage  has  an  appear- 
ance of  favouring  their  sentiments,  they  do  not  hesitate  to  cite  it 
as  a  proof,  that  Joseph,  the  reputed  father  of  Jesus,  was  at  the 
same  time  his  real  father :  not  considering,  that  a  reputed  father  ^ 
or  a  father-in-law^  and  an  actual  father,  are  by  the  common  con- 
sent and  practice  of  mankind  designated  by  the  same  general 
name  of  father.  But  for  a  moment  let  us  listen  to  the  argument 
arising  out  of  the  Unitarian  doctrine  :  let  us  allow  what  it's  ad- 
vocates contend  for,  and  we  shall  presently  see  the  consequences 
to  which  it  leads. 

If  Jesus  were  in  reality  the  son  of  Joseph,  or  were  it  the  in- 
tention of  the  Evangelists  to  represent  him  as  such,  then  it  is 
reasonable  to  think,  that  we  might,  without  any  violation  of  the 
truth,  on  every  occasion  where  Jesus  speaks  of  his  Father,  sub- 
stitute the  name  Joseph,  as  being  perfectly  equivalent  thereto. 
We  will  not  transcribe  a  single  passage  from  the  Word  with  this 
alteration,  because  the  result  would  manifestly  be  a  species  of 
profanatiun,  which  we  cannot  consent  to  be  guilty  of.  But  we 
may  be  permitted  to  say,  that,  if  the  reader  be  disposed  to  try 
the  doctrine  by  this  test,  on  any  one  or  more  of  the  subjoined 
chapters,  it  will  instantly  appear,  from  the  absurdities  and  even 
insanities  so  generated,  that  nothing  can  be  possibly  conceived  of 
more  distant  from  the  truth  of  divine  revelation,  than  the  Unita- 
rian doctrine  of  the  mere  natural  descent  of  our  blessed  Lord. 
The  chapters  alluded  to  are  the  following:  John  v.  19,  21,  22, 
23,  26,  43  : — chap.  vi.  32,  65  : — chap,  yiii-  19  : — chap,  x.  15,  IT, 
18,  27,  29  to  oo  :— chap.  xiv.  2,  6  to  12,  21,  23,  28  :--chap.  xv.  1, 
8,  26  : — chap.  xvi.  25,  28  :■— chap.  xvii.  1  to  5, 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  175 

Judging,  that  the  value  and  beauty  of  truth  might  be  heighten- 
ed by  a  contrasted  view  of  the  absurdity  and  deformity  of  it's  op- 
posite error,  we  have  ventured  to  suggest  to  the  reader  the  pre- 
ceding method  of  applying  the  Unitarian  faith  to  the  divine  lan- 
guage of  revelation  ;  but  feel  happy  in  the  reflection,  that  it  is 
scarcely  possible,  in  the  present  case,  even  for  a  child  to  be  se- 
duced by  it.  On  the  other  hand,  if  to  the  same  passages  we  ap- 
ply the  true  Christian  faith,  as  maintained  in  this  volume,  and 
instead  of  the  term  Father  substitute  in  our  minds  the  term  Di- 
vinity or  Divine  Essence,  or  any  other  expression  of  similar  im- 
port, and  for  Son  read  Humanity  ;  we  shall  then  find,  that,  so 
far  from  being  shocked,  as  in  the  former  case,  with  any  violence 
offered  both  to  the  sacred  text,  and  to  our  common  reason,  we 
shall  be  edified,  enlightened,  and  more  and  more  confirmed  in 
the  truth  of  that  celestial  doctrine,  which  teaches  the  divine  unity 
in  the  person  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 


[59."]  Luke  v.  4  to  6.  "  Jesus  said  unto  Simon,  Launch  out 
"  into  the  deep,  and  let  down  your  nets  for  a  draught.  And  Si- 
•'  mon  answering  said  unto  him.  Master,  we  have  toiled  all  the 
"  night,  and  have  taken  nothing :  nevertheless  at  thy  word  I  will 
"  let  down  the  net.  And  when  they  had  done  this,  they  inclosed 
*'  a  great  multitude  ofjishes.^^ 

Though  not  expressed,  it  is  evident,  from  the  circumstances 
attending  this  draught  of  fishes,  that  Jesus  knew  within  himself 
not  only  what  was  in  the  bosom  of  the  deep  out  of  the  reach  of 
every  human  eye,  but  also  that  success  would  attend  this  last  ef- 
fort of  the  fishermen,  who,  after  toiling  in  vain  all  the  night,  at  his 
word  again  exerted  themselves,  and  were  rewarded  with  the  com- 
pletion of  their  wishes.  His  omniscience  and  his  providence  were 
both  exemplified  on  this  occasion. 


176  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

[60.]  Luke  vii.  11  to  15.  "  And  it  came  to  pass,  that  Jesus 
"  went  into  the  city  called  Nain  ;  and  many  of  his  disciples  went 
"  with  him,  and  much  people.  Now  wlien  he  came  nigh  to  the 
"gate  of  the  city,  behold,  there  was  a  dead  man  carried  out,  the 
"  only  son  of  his  mother,  and  she  was  a  widow :  and  much  peo- 
*'  pie  of  the  city  was  with  her.  And  when  the  Lord  saw  her,  he 
"  had  compassion  on  her,  and  said  unto  her.  Weep  not.  And  he 
"  came  and  touched  the  bier,  (and  they  that  bare  him  stood  still,) 
"  and  he  said.  Young  man,  /  sat/  unto  thee,  Arise.  And  he  that 
"  was  dead  sat  up,  and  began  to  speak :  and  he  delivered  him  to 
"  his  mother." 


What  greater  proof  of  omnipotence  can  be  required  or  given, 
than  the  raising  of  a  dead  man  ?  Yet  tJiis  proof  Jesus  gave  on 
several  occasions  :  and  to  shew  that  it  was  by  his  own  power  and 
authority,  that  the  effect  was  produced,  and  not  by  that  of  any 
other  being,  ]\e  thus  addresses  the  dead  :  "  Young  man,  I  say  un- 
"  fo  ?/i^p.  Arise ;"  plainly  instructing  us,  that,  as  life  proceeds 
from  him,  and  is  communicated  by  his  voice,  he  must  himself  be 
the  great  fountain  and  sotirce  of  life  ;  which  is  again  confirm- 
ed by  his  own  words  to  Martha,  "  I  am  the  resurrection,  and  the 
«  lifey-^  John  xi.  25. 


[61.]  Luke  viii.  38,  39.  "  The  man,  out  of  M'hom  the  devils 
^<  were  departed,  besought  him  that  he  might  be  with  him  :  but 
"Jesus  sent  him  away,  saying,  Return  to  thine  own  house  ;  and 
"  shew  how  great  things  God  haih  done  unto  thee.  And  he  went 
"  his  way,  and  published  throughout  tlie  whole  city  how  gi-eat 
"things  Jesus  had  done  unto him.^^ 


Did  this  man,  out  of  whom  the  devils  were  departed,  obey  tho 
command  of  Jesus,  or  did  he  not  .-^  He  was  ordered  to  show  how 
great  tilings  God  had  done  unto  him;  and  lo  I  he  immediately 
published  how  great  things  Jesus  had  donei  This  identification 
of  Jesus  with  God  may  be  still  further  confirmed  by  comparing 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  \77 

the  present  passage  with  it's  collateral  one  in  Mark,  chap.  v.  18, 
19  ;  where  it  is  written,  that  Jesus  ordered  the  man  to  "  go  home 
"  to  his  friends,  and  tell  them  how  great  things  the  Lord  (that 
"  is,  Jesus)  had  done  for  him."  All  the  circumstances  of  this 
case  are  evidently  calculated  to  honour  and  exalt  the  name,  the 
character,  and  the  person  of  Jesus.  The  Evangelist,  with  manifest 
approbation,  relates,  that  the  man  ascribed  to  Jesus,  what  could 
only  be  effected  by  God  ;  and  thus  he  leads  us  to,  and  justifies 
lis  in,  the  conclusion,  that  Jesus  was  and  is  the  Omnipotent 
God,  whom  devils  fear,  and  angels  love. 


[62.]  Luke  viii.  49  to  5o.  "  While  he  yet  spake,  there  cometh 
"  one  from  the  ruler  of  the  synagogue's  house,  saying  to  him, 
"  'Ely  daughter  is  dead  ;  trouble  not  the  Master.  But  when  Je- 
"  sus  heard  it,  he  answered  him,  saying.  Fear  not ;  believe  only, 
"  and  she  shall  be  made  whole.  And  when  he  came  into  the  house, 
*'  he  suffered  no  man  to  go  in,  save  Peter,  and  James,  and  John, 
*'  and  the  father  and  the  mother  of  the  maiden.  And  all  wept, 
*'  and  bewailed  her  :  but  he  said,  Weep  not ;  she  is  not  dead,  but 
'^  sleepeth.  And  they  laughed  him  to  scorn,  knowing  that  she 
"  was  dead.  And  he  put  them  all  out,  and  took  her  by  the  hand, 
"  and  called,  saying.  Maid,  arise.  And  her  spirit  came  agaiiif 
"  and  she  arose  straightway :  and  he  commanded  to  give  her 
"  meat." 


Here  is  anotlier  instance  and  proof  of  the  omnipotence  of  Je- 
sus, in  restoring,  by  his  word  and  hand,  a  young  maid  to  life, 
who,  though  said  to  be  only  asleep^  was,  in  the  estimation  of  all 
her  friends,  completely  dead. 

It  is  observed,  that  her  spirit  came  again :  but  no  mention  is 
made  of  the  place  or  state,  to  which  it  had  departed,  or  from 
which  it  returned.  This  is  a  point  not  necessary  to  be  discussed 
in  the  present  work ;  and  therefore  we  shall  here  take  no  further 
notice  of  the  question,  than  simply  to  state  it,  reserving  the  de- 
■velopement  of  the  particulars  included  in  it  for  another  work. 

Z 


178  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

The  question  then  concerning  the  state  of  those,  who  are  pro- 
nounced to  be  dead,  resolves  itself  into  several,  which  are  to  the 
following  purport :  Where  is  the  spirit,  or  soul,  on  the  first,  se- 
cond, and  third  day  after  death  ?  And  wliere  afterwards  ?  Is  it 
for  a  certain  time  still  within  the  body,  having  only  retired  a  lit- 
tle inwards,  and  withdrawn  itself  from  the  ejL-tei'ior  organization 
of  the  matter  with  which  it  was  connected,  yet  being  linked  to  it's 
interior  organization  by  some  invisible  bonds,  is  capable  of  being 
recalled  to  it's  external  functions,  as  we  see  is  sometimes  the  case 
by  the  application  of  human  means  ?  Again,  what  is  the  state  and 
situation  of  the  spirit,  or  soul,  when  all  human  means  are  totally 
ineffectual  to  bring  it  back  to  it's  former  condition,  that  is,  when 
the  man  may,  witli  still  greater  propriety  than  in  the  former  case, 
be  said  to  be  dead  ;  and  yet  divine  means,  like  the  icord  of  Jesus, 
can  arrest  it  in  it's  passage  to  another  life,  and  replace  it  in  full 
possession  of  it's  old  tenement  ?  But  the  great  question  still  re- 
mains :  When  the  spirit  or  soul  has  entirely  quitted  the  body 
both  externally  and  internally,  and  made  it's  entry  into  the  spi- 
ritual world,  and  like  another  spirit  has  joined  it's  proper  society, 
can  it  in  such  case  be  recalled  from  the  interior  life  tlien  begun, 
and  again  be  immersed  in  the  corruptions  of  matter  ?  Or,  in  other 
words,  is  it  agreeable  to  the  laws  of  divine  order,  that  a  spirit, 
once  freed  from  the  trammels  and  sliackles  of  the  body,  and  once 
become  afull  inhabitant  of  the  spiritual  world,  should  again,  un- 
der the  name  of  restoration  to  life,  be  returned  to  his  former  state 
oi  comparative  death  ?  again  be  immured  in  the  prison-house  of 
a  mortal  body  ?  again,  or  a  second  tir.ic,  be  permitted  to  enter 
upon  the  day  of  probation,  after  having  actually  outlived  the 
first,  while  the  rest  of  mankind  have  only  one  such  day  allotted 
them  ? 

These  are  some  of  the  questions,  which  arise  to  a  reflecting 
mind  out  of  tlie  cases  recorded  in  the  Word,  of  the  restoration  of 
the  dead  to  life  ;  from  the  discussion  and  elucidation  of  which  it 
will  most  plainly  appear,  that  none  but  a  divine  hand,  a  divine 
power,  a  divine  word,  like  that  of  Jesus,  could  possibly  perform 
so  great  a  miracle,  as  that  of  raising  the  duad.  But,  as  before 
observed,  this  part  of  the  subject  not  properly  falling  within  the 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  179 

design  of  the  present  work,  we  have  barely  stated  the  question, 
reserving  the  answer  to  it  for  another  publication  more  expressly 
treating  on  tlie  nature  of  resurrection  in  the  body,  as  well  as  re- 
surrection/ro?n.  the  bod  If. 


[GS.']  Luke  ix.  38  to  43.  "  Behold,  a  man  cried  out  to  Jesus, 
"  saying.  Master,  I  beseech  thee,  look  upon  my  son,  for  he  is  mine 
'^  only  child.  And  lo,  a  spirit  taketh  him,  and  he  suddenly  crieth 
"  out,  and  it  tcareth  him,  that  he  foameth  again,  and  bruising  him, 
"  hardly  departeth  from  liim.  And  I  besought  thy  disciples  to  cast 
"  him  out,  and  the?/  could  not.  And  Jesus  answering  said,  O 
"  faithless  and  perverse  generation,  how  long  shall  I  be  with  you, 
"  and  suffer  you  ^  Bring  thy  son  hither.  And  as  he  was  yet  a- 
"  coming,  the  devil  threw  him  down,  and  tare  him :  and  Jesus 
"  rebuked  the  unclean  spirit,  and  healed  the  child,  and  delivered 
"  him  again  to  his  father.  And  they  were  all  amazed  at  the 
"  mighty  power  of  God." 


The  disciples,  it  appears,  could  neither  cast  out  this  spirit,  nor 
relieve  the  child  :  and  the  reason  assigned  for  it  is,  because  they 
were  a.  faithless  and  perverse  generation  ;  that  is,  because  they  had 
not  as  yet  that  full  faith  and  confidence  in  Jesus  as  the  Omnipo- 
tent God  clothed  with  Humanity,  which  could  alone  enable  them 
to  work  miracles,  and  to  cast  out  devils.  This  is  evident  from 
our  Lord's  words  on  the  occasion,  "  How  long  shall  I  be  with  you, 
"  and  suffer  you"  thus  to  with-hold  your  faith  from  me?  He  then 
immediately  rebuked  the  unclean  spirit,  and  healed  the  child  :  on 
which  the  by-standers  were  filled  with  astonisliment  at  the  super* 
natural  power  exemplified  by  Jesus,  which  they  also  called  the 
mighty  power  of  God. 


[64.]  Luke  x.  17  to   19.     "  And  the  seventy  returned  again 
'i  with  joy,  saying,  Lord^  even  the  devils  are  subject  unto  us 


ise  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

"  through  thy  name.  And  he  said  unto  them,  I  beheld  Satan  as 
"  lightning  fall  from  heaven.  Behold,  I  give  iinto  you  power  to 
"  tread  on  serpents  and  scorpions,  and  over  all  the  power  of  the 
"  enemy  ;  and  nothing  shall  by  any  means  hurt  you." 


What  can  reduce  to  subjection  those  malevolent  powers  of  dark- 
ness, called  devils,  serpents,  and  scorpions,  except  the  omnipo- 
tent hand  of  Deity  itself?  Yet  we  see,  the  name,  that  is,  the  pow- 
er and  authority  of  Jesus  is  competent  to  so  great  a  work  :  for, 
says  he,  "  I  give  unto  you  power  to  tread  on  serpents  and  scor^ 
^^pions,  and  over  all  the  power  of  the  enemy  ;  and  nothing  shall 
«  by  any  means  hurt  you."  Could  a  mere  man  do  all  this  .^  Nay, 
could  anv  but  the  Supreme  God  himself  perform  what  Jesus 
here  promises,  and  promises  not  in  the  name  of  another  superior 
to  himself,  but  in  his  oicn  name  only  }  Let  the  reader  draw  the 
conclusion  :  he  cannot  err. 


[65.]  Luke  xi.  20.  Jesus  said  to  the  Jews,  If  I  with  the  fin- 
«  ger  of  God  cast  out  devils,  no  doubt  the  kingdom  of  God  is 
4«  come  upon  you." 


We  have  already  seen,  that  Jesus  cast  out  devils  by  his  own 
power  ;  which  power  is  here  called  the  finger  of  God,  and  con- 
sidered as  a  proof  that  the  kingdom  of  God  was  come  upon  men. 
It  is  further  observable  in  the  passage  before  us,  that  the  divine 
power  is  expressed  by  a  term,  which  has  a  direct  reference  to 
Humanity,  one  member  in  the  extremity  of  the  body  being  taken 
for  the  whole  of  the  human  form.  Thus,  as  in  the  prophecy  of 
Isaiah,  chap.  liii.  1,  the  Humanity  which  was  to  be  assumed  by 
Jehovah,  together  with  it's  power,  is  called  the  arm  o/ Jehovah, 
so  in  the  Gospels  the  person  and  power  of  Jesus  are  called  the 
finger  of  God  ;  both  phrases  denoting  the  exercise  of  omnipo- 
tence by  one  and  the  same  medium,  the  Divine  Body  of  our  blessed 
gaviour.  And  hence  it  is,  that  the  advent  of  Jehovah  into  the 
■world,  by  the  assumption  of  Humanity,  is  understood  by  the 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  181 

kingdom  of  God  being  come  upon  or  among  ws,  while  the  annun- 
ciation of  this  great  event  is  called  glad  tidings^  or  the  everlast- 
ing gospel  of  "  peace  on  earth,  good-will  towards  men.- ' 


[66.]  Luke  xii.  8,  9.  "  I  say  unto  you,  Whosoever  shall  con- 
"  fess  me  before  men,  him  shall  the  Son  of  Man  also  confess  be- 
"  fore  the  angels  of  God.  But  he  that  denieth  me  before  men, 
"  shall  be  denied  befoi-e  the  angels  of  God.^' 


The  confession  of  Jesus  before  men  is  here  represented  as  a 
matter  of  the  highest  importance,  worthy  of  being  noticed  and  re- 
warded in  the  presence  of  angels  ;  while  the  denial  of  him  in- 
volves a  calamity  equal  to  exclusion  from  heaven.  But  what  can 
be  really  understood  by  confessing  or  denying  him  ?  If  he  be  a 
mere  man,  as  some  mere  men  would  have  us  to  believe,  it  is  rea- 
sonable to  ask,  Why  should  the  confession  of  him  as  such  be  en- 
titled to  any  reward,  any  more  than  the  confession  of  any  other 
prophet,  apostle,  or  messenger  of  God  ?  Or  why,  on  the  other 
hand,  should  the  denial  of  him  as  such  (which  by  the  bye  is  rather 
a  curious  idea,  on  the  Unitarian  system,)  be  attended  with  con-, 
sequences  fatal  to  man's  future  happiness  $ 

There  is  no  difficulty  in  admitting  that  good  and  pious  men,  as 
well  as  holy  angels,  ought  to  be  respected,  revered,  and  loved  : 
but  there  appears  no  just  reason  why  confession,  or  any  thing  re- 
sembling adoration,  should  be  made  to  any  one  of  them,  however 
high  or  however  low  he  may  be  in  the  scale  of  creation.  For  con- 
fession being  a  part  of  divine  worship,  it  belongs  exclusively  to 
the  Creator,  who  is  at  the  same  time  the  Preserver  and  the  Re- 
deemer of  the  world.  And  as  to  offer  this  worship,  and  to  make 
this  confession,  to  it's  legitimate  Object,  is  the  first  duty  of  the 
creature,  and  prepares  for  the  society  of  angels,  and  a  participa- 
tion in  their  enjoyments ;  so,  on  the  other  hand,  to  with-hold  such 
worship  and  confession  from  him,  who  alone  has  the  right  to  claim 
it,  is  a  violation  of  the  divine  law,  and  amounts  to  a  rejection  not 
only  of  heaven,  but  also  of  the  God  of  heaven.  The  Lord,  there- 
fore, by  teaching  us  what  will  be  the  consequence  of  confessing 


182  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

him,  and  what  the  consequence  ofdenyinghim,inthe  same  words 
procliiims  the  divinity  of  his  person  and  character ;  and  gives  us 
to  understand,  that  the  confession,  which  he  calls  upon  us  to 
make,  is  the  acknowledgment  in  lieart,  in  doctrine,  and  in  life, 
that  he,  and  he  alone,  is  the  one  adorable  God  both  of  angels  and 
men. 


[67.]  Luke  xvii.  12  to  19.  "  And  as  he  entered  into  a  certain 
"  village,  there  met  him  ten  men  tliat  were  lepers,  who  stood  afar 
"  oft':  and  they  lifted  up  their  voices,  and  said^  Jesus  Master, 
"  have  mercy  on  us.  And  when  he  saw  them,  he  said  unto  them, 
"  Go  shew  yourselves  unto  the  priests.  And  it  came  to  pass, 
"  that,  as  they  went,  iJietf  irere  cleansed.  And  one  of  them,  when 
"  he  saw  that  iie  was  healed,  turned  back,  and  with  a  loud  voice 
"  glorified  God,  and  fell  down  on  his  face  at  his  feet,  giving  him 
"  thanks:  and  he  was  a  Samaritan.  And  Jesus  answering  said, 
"  Were  there  not  ten  cleansed  ?  but  where  are  tlie  nine  ?  There 
"  are  not  found  that  returned  to  give  glory  to  God,  save  this 
"  stranger.  And  he  said  unto  him.  Arise,  go  thy  way;  thy  faith 
"  hath  made  thee  whole," 


If  has  been  rashly  asserted  by  Unitarians,  that  the  New  Testa- 
inent  writers  no-where  expressly  declare  Jesus  to  be  God  ;  and 
on  this  groundless  supposition  they  attempt  to  build  an  argument 
against  his  divinity.  But  the  basis  of  their  visionary  structure 
crumbles  into  dust,  the  moment  it  is  touched  by  the  Rod  of  divine 
truth.  We  have  already  adduced  several  instances,  wherein  the 
very  name  of  God  is  given  to  him  as  a  distinguishing  title  :  but 
many  more,  wherein  tlie  characters,  attributes,  and  perfections  of 
Deity  are  indisputably  ascribed  to  him.  Besides  tliese,  other 
passages,  not  hitherto  noticed,  are  to  be  found  in  great  variety  to 
the  same  effect,  which  will  appear  the  more  evident  and  striking, 
if  the  following  circumstance  be  attended  to. 

As  in  the  assumption  of  Humanity  by  Jehovah  it  was  neces- 
sary, in  agreement  with  the  laws  of  divine  order,  that  his  glory 
s^hould  be  veiled,  so  as  to  permit  his  approach  to  mankind,  and 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  183 

reciprocally  the  approach  of  mankind  to  him,  without  instantane- 
ous destruction  to  the  creature;  (Mai.  iii.  2;  chap.  iv.  6.)  and  as 
the  intense  glory  of  his  divine  person  was  only  occasionally  ma- 
nifested to  his  disciples  ;  once  at  his  transfiguration,  again  at  his 
ascension,  afterwards  to  John,  as  described  in  the  Apocalypse, 
and  also  to  Paul,  to  Stephen,  and  perhaps  to  others;  so  the  evan- 
gelical writers,  in  describing  and  relating  the  acts  of  Jesus  in  the 
flesh,  do  likewise  in  a  measure  veil  his  glory  from  the  eyes  of 
those,  who  are  not  disposed  to  believe  in  him,  lest  seeing  the 
truth  they  should  afterwards  profane  it,  and  lest  the  brilliancy  of 
it's  light  should,  by  a  too  precipitate  influx  upon  them,  rather  in- 
jure than  benefit  the  organ  of  their  intellectual  vision.  It  'is 
therefore  written  concerning  our  Lord's  disciples  of  old,  and  may 
be  truly  said  of  many  who  call  themselves  his  disciples  in  the  pre- 
sent day,  that  "  they  understood  none  of  these  things ;  that  his 
*•  sayings  were  hid  from  them  ;  and  that  they  knew  not  the  things 
•'  which  were  spoken,"  Luke  xviii.  34.  Hence  in  numerous  in- 
stances, where  the  works,  the  power,  and  the  character  of  Jesus 
are  exemplified,  the  direct  name  of  Deity  is  not  ascribed  to  him, 
xintil  after  the  intervention  of  a  part  of  a  verse,  a  whole  verse,  or 
perhaps  of  several  verses,  between  the  description  of  the  attribute 
and  the  ujjpcllation  of  him  to  whom  it  belongs.  The  consequence 
of  which  is,  that  many  do  not  immediately  perceive  the  divine  in- 
tention in  so  describing  the  life  and  character  of  our  Lord;  whicli 
yet  is,  as  before  observed,  that  men  might  grculualiy,  and  not  too 
■precipitately^  be  introduced  to  the  true  knowledge  and  acknow- 
ledgment of  their  Saviour,  first  as  the  Sun  of  God,  and  lastly  as 
One  with  the  Father,  that  is,  as  the  Supreme  God  himself  in  hu- 
man form.  And  yet  to  the  mind  truly  enlightened  nothing  can 
be  more  clear,  than  the  evidence  thus  arising:  for  on  the  removal 
of  the  thin  veil  thus  mercifully  interposed,  our  Diviine  Lord  stands 
forth  to  view  in  all  his  heavenly  glory. 

If  these  observations  be  just,  they  will  admit  of  proof.  We 
shall  therefore  now  demonstrate,  by  several  examples  from  the 
New  Testament,  that  they  arc  founded  in  fact;  and  that  the 
truth  of  our  doctrine  concerning  the  Lord  is  the  necessary  result 
of  divine  revelraion.  when  understood  iu  it's  aeuuiue  sen-^e. 


184  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

J.  First,  then,  the  passage,  which  already  lies  open  before  us, 
is  of  this  description.  One  of  the  ten  lepers,  finding  that  he  was 
iiealed  in  consequence  of  his  faith  in,  and  obedience  to,  the  word 
of  Jesus,  turned  back,  and  with  a  loud  voice  glorified  God,  and 
fell  down  at  his  feet,  giving  him  thanks.  At  whose  feet  now  did 
he  fall,  but  at  the  feet  of  Jesus  .^  And  yet  the  antecedent  to  the 
pronoun  his  is  evidently  the  word  God  ;  demonstrating,  that, 
while  he  fell  at  the  feet  of  Jesus,  he  at  the  same  time  fell  at  the 
feet  of  God.  This  is  also  confirmed  by  the  remark,  which  Jesus 
made,  in  answer  to  the  glorification  and  thanksgiving  of  the  leper: 
"  Were  there  not  ten  cleansed  i  but  where  are  the  nine  }  There 
"  are  not  found  that  returned  to  give  glory  to  God,  save  this 
"  stranger.  And  he  said  unto  him,  Arise,  go  thy  Avay;  thy  faith 
"  hath  made  thee  whole."  The  whole  passage,  therefore,  taken 
in  it's  just  connection,  may  be  considered  as  containing  both  a 
direct  and  an  indirect  declaration,  that  Jesus  himself  was  the 
very  God  who  healed  the  leper,  and  who  also  received  the  glory 
that  was  due  for  the  divine  work :  which  is  still  further  evident 
from  the  circumstance  of  the  Lord's  approving  the  faith  of  the 
leper,  because  it  was  directed  immediately  to  him. 

2.  Matt.  i.  21  to  23.  Speaking  of  the  birth  of  Jesus,  the  an- 
gel first  says,  that  he*  shall  save  his  jjeojde  from  their  sins;  and 
afterwards  it  is  declared,  that  "  then  was  fulfilled  that  w^hich  was 
"  spoken  by  the  prophet,  saying.  Behold,  a  virgin  shall  be  with 
"  child,  and  shall  bring  forth  a  Son,  and  they  shall  call  his  name 
"  Emmanuel,  which  being  interpreted  is,  God  with  us."  This 
passage  speaks  for  itself,  and  therefore  requires  no  comment. 

3.  Matt.  iv.  5  to  7.  When  the  devil  tempted  Jesus,  the  lat- 
ter replied,  "  It  is  written.  Thou  shalt  not  tempt  the  Lord  thy 
"  God." 

4.  Mark  ii.  5,  7,  12.  When  Jesus  said  to  the  sick  of  the  pal- 
sy, "  Son,  thy  sins  be  forgiven  thee,'^  it  was  justly  asked  even  by 
the  scribes,  «  Who  can  forgive  sins,  but  God  unly?'^  And  so 
far  was  this  reflection  from  being  discountenanced  by  Jesus,  that 

*  ffe  himself.  Sec  Bishop  Peqirson  on  the  Creed,  or  the  original  Greek. 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c. 


185 


it  was  rather  confirmed  by  his  asking,  "  Whether  is  it  easier  to 
"  say  to  the  sick  of  the  palsy,  Tliy  sins  be  forgiven  thee,  or  to 
•'  say,  Arise,  and  take  up  thy  bed  and  walk  ?"  Plainly  intimat- 
ing, that  to  an  Omnipotent  God  in  human  form  it  is  alike  easy 
either  to  restore  the  spirit,  or  to  heal  the  body. 

5.  Mark  xi.  14,  21,  22.  On  Peter's  observing,  that  the  fig-tree, 
which  had  been  cursed,  was  withered  away,  "  Jesus  answering 
"  saith  unto  them.  Have  faith  in  God,"  meaning  faith  in  Him- 
self, who  had  done  such  a  marvellous  work. 

6.  Luke  xviii.  41  to  43.  The  blind  man,  who  had  received  his 
sight  by  the  mere  word  of  Jesus,  immediately  followed  him,  glo- 
rifying God.  To  follow  Jesus,  as  he  did,  is  therefore  to  glorify 
God,  because  it  is  acknowledging  him  to  be  vested  with  omnipo' 
tence,  thus  to  be  God  in  human  form. 


7.  Luke  xix.  37,  38. 

8.  Luke  xxii.  16,  18,  SO. 

9.  Luke  xxiii.  42,  43. 

10.  John  i.  1,  3,  10,  14,  15. 

11.  John  viii.  19. 

12.  John  viii.  24,  25,  27. 

13.  John  viii.  51  to  58. 

14.  John  X.  27  to  30. 

15.  John  xi.  4. 

16.  John  xi.  25,  26,  40,  43,  44. 

17.  John  xiii.  31,  32. 

18.  John  xiv.  1. 

19.  John  xiv.  7,  9. 


20.  John  xvi.  13  to  15. 

21.  John  XX.  25  to  28. 

22.  Apoc.  i.  8,  11,  13,  17,  18. 

23.  Apoc.  V.  12  to  14. 

24.  Apoc.  vii.  9  to  12. 

25.  Apoc.  vii.  15,  17- 

26.  Apoc.  xi.  15,  17. 

27.  Apoc.  xvii.  14. 

28.  Apoc.  xxi.  7,  22,  23. 

29.  Apoc.  xxi.  23;  and  chap, 
xxii.  5. 

30.  Apoc.  xxii.  6,  16. 


In  all  these  passages,  and  many  more  of  similar  tendency, 
either  the  character  or  the  name  of  Deity,  and  very  frequently 
both  together,  rest  only  with  Him,  of  whom  Moses,  the  Prophets, 
the  Psalms,  and  the  Evangelical  Books,  so  constantly  treat,  and 
who  by  them  all  is  declared  to  be  no  less  than  the  great  Jeho- 
vah himself  appearing  among  men  under  the  veil  of  Humanity, 
and  thus  leading  them,  in  a  way  accommodated  to  their  weak- 

Aa 


186  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

ness  and  prejudices,  to  the  ultimate  perception  and  acknowledg- 
ment of  his  Divinity. 


[68.]  Luke  xviii.  16.   "  Suffer  little  children  to  come  vnto  ?jte, 
*'  and  forbid  them  not ;  for  of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  GodJ'^ 


Nothing  else  is  meant  in  the  New  Testament  by  the  kingdom 
of  God,  or  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  but  the  advent  of  Jehovah 
God  into  the  world,  and  the  consequent  acknowledgment  of  Je- 
sus Christ  as  that  God  manifested  in  the  flesh,  together  with  all 
the  felicities  resulting  from  such  acknowledgment  in  heart,  under- 
standing, and  life.  Now  as  no  one  can  see  or  comprehend  this 
great  truth  by  the  mere  light  cf  nature,  or  by  the  highest  efforts 
of  human  understanding  unaided  or  unenlightened  by  divine  re- 
velation ;  and  as  this  divine  light  can  only  be  obtained  by  first 
acknowledging,  that  of  ourselves  we  are  mere  ignorance  and 
darkness,  and  that,  like  helpless  infants,  we  can  take  or  acquire 
nothing  of  truth,  unless  it  be  given  us  from  above,  John  iii.  37; 
"we  may  hence  see  the  reason  why  the  Lord  said  to  his  disciples, 
that  the  kingdom  of  God  is  accessible  to  such  only  as  are  of  a 
character  humble  and  teachable,  like  that  of  little  children,  and 
who  thus  come  unto  and  acknowledge  him  in  the  capacity  already 
described.  Hence,  further,  we  perceive  the  just  application  of 
the  words  of  Jesus  concerning  the  rich  man,  (the  man  who 
abounds  in  science,  and  prides  himself  in  self -derived  intelli- 
gence,) "  How  hardly  shall  they  that  have  riches  enter  into  the 
"  kingdom  of  God !  For  it  is  easier  for  a  camel  to  go  through  a 
"  needle's  eye,  than  for  a  rich  man  to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
«  God,"  Luke  xviii.  24,  25. 

To  come  unto  Jesus,  therefore,  as  a  little  child,  that  is,  in  hu- 
mility, innocence,  and  a  teachable  spirit,  in  order  to  receive  from 
him  all  that  constitutes  true  wisdom,  love,  and  happiness,  is  the 
genuine  characteristic  of  a  Christian,  the  very  passport  which  in- 
troduces within  the  gates  of  heaven,  and  gives  the  bearer  a  title  to 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  187 

an  everlasting  mansion  in  the  kingdom  of  God.  And  if  so,  then 
Jesus  himself  must  be  no  less  than  God  ;  because  such  abase; 
ment  of  self  in  spiritual  things  cannot  be  due  from  one  man  to 
another,  but  is  solely  required  in  our  approaches  to  the  Deity. 


JOHN. 


[PRELIMINARY.] 

IN  none  of  the  Gospels  does  the  doctrine  of  the  sole,  su= 
preme,  and  exclusive  Divinity  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ  appear  more  conspicuous,  more  certain,  and  more  incon- 
trovertible, than  in  that  of  the  beloved  disciple  John.  Whether 
we  consider  the  number  of  passages,  which  yield  this  doctrine 
even  in  the  letter,  (to  say  nothing  of  the  spiritual  sense,  which 
every -where,  establishes  it,)  or  the  happy  simplicity  of  sentiment 
and  expression,  which  distinguishes  it  among  the  Sacred  Wri- 
tings, it  must  ever  be  regarded  as  one  of  the  most  powerful  wea- 
pons in  defence  of  the  truth,  that  was  ever  entrusted  in  the  hands 
of  man. 


[69.]  JOHN  i.  1,  3,  10,  14.  "In  the  beginning  was  the 
"  Word,  and  the  Word  was  with  God,  and  God  was  the  Word. 
*'  Ml  things  were  made  by  him ;  and  without  him  was  not  any 
*'  thing  made  that  was  made.  He  was  in  the  world,  and  the 
"  world  was  made  by  him,  and  the  world  knew  him  not.  And  tlie 
"  Word  was  made  flesh,  and  dwelt  among  us,  (and  we  beheld  his 
"  glory,  the  glory  as  of  the  Only-begotten  of  the  Father,)  full  of 
"  grace  and  truth." 


188  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

The  Word,  called  in  Greek  Logos,  interiorly  considered,  is 
divine  wisdom,  divine  truth,  or  divine  light;  and  this  being 
inseparable  from  God,  is  therefore  called  God,  because  there  is 
nothing  belonging  to  God,  whether  it  be  in  respect  to  his  essence 
or  his  person,  but  what  really  and  truly  is  God.  God,  therefore, 
as  to  the  Word,  or  as  to  the  divine  truth  of  the  Word,  came  down 
into  the  world,  which  was  created  by  him  ;  and  yet  the  world 
knew  him  not.  The  same  God  also  became  a  Man,  when  the 
Word  was  made ^es/i,  and  dwelt  among  us.  How  well  does  this 
apply  to  the  person  and  character  of  Jesus  Christ,  who  repeat- 
edly declares  himself  to  be  the  truth,  the  light,  and  the  lifel 
The  Evangelist  adds,  "  And  we  beheld  his  glory,  the  glory  as 
"  of  the  Only-begotten  of  the  Father :"  which  is  as  much  as  to 
say.  The  glory,  in  which  he  appeared  Avhile  on  earth,  was  not  the 
glory  as  of  the  Father,  or  as  of  the  purely  divine  essence  itself, 
because  this  glory  is  utterly  inaccessible  to  the  creature ;  but  the 
glory  as  of  the  Son,  the  Humanity,  or  the  Only-begotten  of  the 
Father ;  that  glory,  which  he  displayed  in  the  character  and  ca- 
pacity of  a  Divine  Man,  and  which,  though  accommodated  to 
the  eye  of  the  beholder,  yet  beamed  forth  through  the  veil  of  his 
flesh  with  a  lustre  and  a  splendor  surpassing  all  human  descrip- 
tion. 


[ro.]  John  i.  18.  <•  JVo  man  hath  seen  God  at  any  time  ;*  the 
"  only-begotten  Son,  who  is  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father,  he  hath 
"  declared  Am." 

*  As  to  essence — so  likewise  'tis  said  in  1  John  iv.  12.  and  so  in  Exodus 
xxxiii.  20.  Thou  canst  not  see  my  face,  for  there  shall  no  man  see  my  face 
and  live.  But  "  the  only-begotten  son  he  hath  revealed  him"  at  all  times. 
Moses  and  others  saw  God — who  but  the  Tnanifested  Jehovah  or  son  ?  and 
did  eat  and  drink,  Exod.  xxiv.  9,  11.  Jacob  wrestled  with  an  angel  in  the 
form  of  a  man,  and  Jacob  called  the  name  of  the  place  Peniel,  or  the  pre- 
sence of  God,  for,  said  he,  I  have  seen  God  face  to  face,  and  my  life  is  pre- 
served. Gen.  xxxii.  24,  30.  Who  could  this  Angel  be  but  the  Angel  or 
messenger  (same  word  in  tlie  original)  of  the  Covenant  mentioned,  Mai.  iii 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  189 

If  no  mere  man  has  ever  seen  the  Father,  who  is  here  called 
God,  then  it  follows,  that  Jesus,  who  is  here  called  the  only-be- 
gotten Son^  must  be  more  than  a  mere  man,  nay  more  than  an 
ano-el  or  any  other  finite  being,  because  he  resides  in  the  very 
bosom  of  the  Father,  that  is  to  say,  because  he  is  intimately  pre- 
sent and  united  witli  the  pure  Divinity  itself;  which  can  never 
be  said  of  either  man  or  angel.  Jehovah  the  Father  says  to 
Moses,  '<  There  shall  no  man  see  me,  and  live,"  Exod.  xxxiii.  20  : 
and  yet  Jesus  declares  of  himself,  "  He  who  is  God,  even  he 
«  hath  seen  the  Father,'-  John  vi.  46. 

Can  any  evidence  be  stronger  and  more  pointed  than  this,  in 
favour  of  the  infinite  pre-eminence  of  Jesus  over  all  that  bears 
the  name  of  creature?  Sink,  Unitarian,  sink  into  the  dust  at  the 
presence  of  Him,  who  is  thus  clothed  with  honour  and  majesty 
divine.  No  longer  seek  to  dethrone  or  degrade  the  Saviour  of 
the  world ;  but  yield  him  the  glory,  which  he  claims,  and  to 
■which  he  is  so  justly  entitled  ;  "  for  he  is  thy  Lord,  and  worship 
"  thou  ftim,"  Ps.  xlv.  11. 


[71.]  John  ii.  24,  25.  "  But  Jesus  did  not  commit  himself 
"  unto  them,  because  he  knew  all  men,  and  needed  not  that  any 
"  should  testify  of  man  :  for  he  knew  what  was  in  man.'' 


To  know  the  hearts,  the  affections,  and  the  thoughts  of  all  men, 
or  to  perceive  from  first  to  last  all  that  is  in  man,  is  certainly  not 
within  the  province  of  any  ^72tie  6ei»^,  but  exclusively  of  him, 
whose  "  understanding  is  infinite,"  Ps.  cxlvii.  5 ;  and  who  says, 
"  I  Jehovah  search  the  heart,  I  try  the  reins,"  Jer.  xvii.  10. 
Ps.  vii.  9.  "  I  know  the  things  that  come  into  your  mind,  every 
"  one  of  them,"  Ezek.  xi.  5.     What  then  is  to  be  said  in  a  case 

1.  Likewise  he  who  is  called  "  presence  of  God,"  Exod.  xxxiii.  14,  15  and 
the  angel  of  his  presence,  Isa.  Ixiii.  9.  who  is  called  Chiiist,  1  Cor.  X.  9. 
Christ  is  likewise  called  the  Similitude  of  Jehotah,  Numb.  xii.  8.  Compare 
Acts  vii  38 — See  Parkhurst,  art.   Character.— Am.  Puh. 


190  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

like  this,  where  the  very  same  attribute  of  omnisciencej  which  be  ■ 
longs  only  to  the  infinite  and  eternal  Jehovah,  is  yet  positively 
and  deliberately  ascribed  to  the  Man  Jesus  ?  AVhat  can  be  said 
with  any  degree  of  consistency  either  with  revelation,  or  with 
the  common  reason  of  mankind,  but  that  both  names,  Jehovah 
and  Jesus,  denote  only  one  and  the  same  Divine  Being? 


[72.]  John  iii.  13.  «  No  man  hath  ascended  up  to  heaveri, 
"  but  he  that  came  down  from  heaven,  even  the  Son  of  Man,  who 
"  is  in  heaven.''^ 


That  Jesus,  who  is  also  called  the  Son  of  Man,  was  present  in 
heaven,  even  while  he  was  upon  the  earth,  is  here  plainly  de- 
clared ;  and  therefore  from  the  nature  of  the  attribute  ascribed 
to  him  we  may  justly  conclude,  not  only  that  he  is  more  than  a 
mere  man,  or  the  son  of  a  mere  man,  as  some  Unitarians  interpret 
the  phrase,  but  that  he  is  the  Supreme  and  Omnipresent  God, 
who,  in  respect  to  the  divine  truth  of  his  Word,  equally  existing 
in  the  heavens  above,  and  in  the  church  below,  is  so  frequently 
termed  the  So7i  of  Man  /  such  divine  truth,  received  in  the  un- 
derstanding and  in  the  heart,  being  that  alone,  which  constitutes 
the  essential  principle  of  Humanity. 

And  here,  by  the  way,  having  named  an  objection  started  by 
Unitarians  against  the  phrase  Son  of  Man,  with  their  proposed 
amendment  of  the  same,  in  order  to  make  it  tally  the  better  with 
their  idea  of  the  mere  humanity  of  Jesus,  whom  they  would  in 
future  call  the  son  of  a  man,  let  us  spend  a  moment  in  it's  exami- 
nation. When  the  elders  of  the  Jewish  people,  with  the  chief 
priests  and  scribes,  asked  Jesus,  saying,  "  Art  thou  the  Christ  ? 
"  tell  us  ;"  among  other  things  he  observed  to  them,  "  Hereafter 
"  shall  the  Son  of  Man  sit  on  the  right  hand  of  the  power  of  God  :" 
on  which  they  all  immediately  said,  "  Art  thou  then  the  Son  of 
"  God  ?"  Luke  xxii.  66  to  70.  From  this  passage  it  appears, 
that  they  considered  the  two  phrases,  So7i  of  Man,  and  Son  of 
God,  to  be  nearly,  if  not  perfectly  synonimous  j  and  that  they  at 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  191 

least,  unlike  some  Unitarians  of  the  present  day,  did  not  regard 
the  former  as  any  proof  or  avowal  of  his  mere  humanity,  but  on 
the  contrary  as  a  name  expressive  of  some  divine  quality  similar 
to  that  of  Son  of  God. 

In  agreement  with  this  the  Lord  himself  also  says,  "  Except 
"  ye  eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of  Man,  and  drink  his  blood,  ye  have 
"  no  life  in  you,"  John  vi.  53.  Surely  the  flesh  and  the  blood  of 
a  mere  man,  or  of  the  son  of  a  mere  man,  can  never  communicate 
that  spiritual  and  eternal  life,  which  is  here  alluded  to. 

Again,  in  another  place  he  says,  «  Then  shall  ye  see  the  Son  of 
"  Man  coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven,  with  great  power  and 
"  glory :  and  then  shall  he  send  (mark,  the  Son  of  Man  shall 
"  send)  his  angels,  and  shall  gather  together  his  elect  from  the 
"  four  winds,  from  the  uttermost  part  of  the  earth,  to  the  uttermost 
"  part  of  the  heaven,"  Mark  xiii.  26,  27.  Are  these  expressions 
and  predictions  applicable  to  the  son  of  a  man  ^  Does  any  mere 
son  of  a  man  keep  in  his  charge,  and  at  his  beck  and  call,  beings 
of  angelic  make  ?  and  will  such  an  one  hereafter  depute  them  at 
pleasure  to  accomplish  his  purposes  of  election  and  universal  so- 
vereignty in  heaven  and  on  earth  ?  Preposterous  to  the  last  de- 
gree n  the  idea ;  and  therefore  most  deservedly  is  it  to  be  reject- 
ed, together  with  the  doctrine  that  stands  in  need  of  such  aid, 
or  that  gives  birth  to  such  a  mere  phantasm  of  the  imagination. 


[73.]  John  iii.  31.  "He  that  cometh  from  above,  is  above  all: 
"  he  that  is  of  the  earth,  is  earthly,  a.^d  speaketh  of  the  earth  :  he 
"  that  cometh  from  heaven,  is  above  all.^' 


Jesus  said,  "  The  bread  of  God  is  he  who  cometh  down  from 
*'  heaven,  and  giveth  life  unto  the  world  :  I  am  the  bread  of  life  ;  I 
"  am  the  bread  which  came  down  from  heaven,''^  John  vi.  33,  55, 
41.  He  therefore  is  the  great  personage,  of  whom  John  the  Baptist 
spoke,  when  he  said,  "  He  that  cometh  from  heaven,  is  above  all ;" 
and  if  he  be  above  all,  he  cannot  be  less  than  God. 


192  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

[74.]  John  iii.  34.  "  He,  whom  God  hath  sent,  speaketh  the 
"  words  of  God :  for  God  giveth  not  tlie  spirit  by  measure  unto 
«  him." 


Every  finite  beinjj,  every  created  subject,  capable  of  receiving 
the  spirit  or  influence  proceeding  from  God,  must  of  necessity, 
by  the  very  condition  of  his  nature,  receive  it  by  measure,  that  is, 
partially,  and  not  in  all  Ws  fulness  or  totality  ;  because  what  is 
infinite  can  never  be  included  within,  or  comprehended  by,  a 
finite  capacity.  This  is  so  self-evident,  that  it  requires  neither 
proof  nor  comment.  But  of  Jesus  it  is  said,  that  God,  or  the 
Essential  Divinity,  giveth  not  the  spirit  by  measure  unto  him.  He, 
therefore,  who  is  capable  of  receiving  into  himself,  that  is,  into 
his  Humanity,  the  whole  fulness,  the  unfathomable  abyss  or  ocean 
of  Divinity,  can  neither  be  a  viere  man,  nor  a  viere  angel,  nor  a 
mere  creature  of  any  rank  or  denomination,  no  nor  a  mere  parti- 
cipator in  Divinity  as  one  of  three  co-equally  divine  persons  ;  but 
he  must  be  himself  in  his  own  proper  person  the  whole  God,  the 
sole  God,  and  nothing  less  but  God,  in  a  divinely-human  form. 
Such  is  the  Divine  Man  Jesus  Christ,  who  speaketh  the  words 
of  God,  who  doeth  the  works  of  God,  and  who  consequei'tly  is 
alone  entitled  to  the  name  of  God. 


[75.']  John  iii.  35.  "  The  Father  loveth  the  Son,  and  hath  given 
"  all  thins:s  into  his  hand.'^ 


The  Father  being  the  Essential  Divinity,  and  the  Son  the  Di- 
vine Humanity,  in  one  and  the  same  person,  it  is  said,  that  the 
Father  hath  given  all  things  into  the  hand  of  the  Son,  to  denote 
that  all  the  powers,  attributes,  and  perfections  of  Deity  are  cen- 
tered in,  and  exercised  by,  the  divine  human  form  of  our  Lord 
and  Saviour  Jksus  Christ;  comparatively  as  all  the  powers  and 
faculties  of  the  human  soul  are  united  with,  and  also  exercised 
bv.  the  human  body. 


tNITxVRlANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  193 

Or,  to  place  the  subject  in  another  point  of  view,  which  is  still 
ia  perfect  harmony  with  the  preceding  explanation  ;  the  Father 
may  be  considered  as  the  divine  love,  and  the  Son  as  the  divine 
wisdom  of  one  and  the  same  God.  Now  all  the  proceedings  or 
operations  of  Deity,  in  respect  to  the  redemption  and  salvation 
of  man,  inasmuch  as  they  take  their  rise  in  the  divine  love,  may 
therefore  be  said  to  originate  with  the  Father.  But  as  the  divine 
love  does  not,  and  cannot  act  effectually,  except  in  concur- 
rence with,  and  by  means  of,  the  divine  wisdom,  which  is  the  Son; 
and  as  consequently  every  thing  belonging  to  the  divine  love  is 
thus  as  it  were  transferred  to  the  divine  wisdom,  so  as  to  be 
wholly  united  with  it,  it  is  hence  easy  to  discern  the  true  reason 
why  it  is  written,  that  '•  the  Father  loveth  the  Son,  and  hath  given 
"  all  things  into  his  handJ'^  The  divine  wisdom  here  spoken  of 
is  no  other  than  the  Word  made  flesh  ;  and  this  possesses  in  it- 
self, and  likewise  communicates  to  man,  the  whole  and  sole  pow- 
er of  salvation;  because  he,  who  is  the  God  of  the  Word,  never 
acts  separately  from  it,  but  always  in  and  by  means  of  it. 

Thus,  when  the  Lord  declares,  by  his  Evangelist,  that  the  Fa- 
ther hath  given  all  things  into  the  hands  of  the  Son,  he  thereby 
instructs  us,  that  all  the  divine  operations,  in  producing  the  re- 
formation, regeneration,  salvation,  and  final  happiness  of  man, 
are  entirely  conducted  from  and  by  the  Sacred  Scriptures  or 
JFord,  and  never  by  any  immediate  influx  from  himself  separate- 
ly from  it.  It  was  by  reason  of  this  great  truth,  that  the  Lord, 
in  assuming  the  Humanity,  assumed  also  the  Word  even  in  the 
letter ;  that  he  realized  and  accomplished  in  himself  the  whole  of 
it's  contents  from  first  to  last,  insomuch  that  he  actually  became 
the  Word  incarnate,  and  thereby  for  ever  identified  it  with  him- 
self and  all  his  Divinity.  And  hence  we  may  now  see  what  is 
implied  in  that  singular  confession  of  the  Psalmist  to  Jehovah, 
•'  Thou  hast  magnified  thy  Word  above  all  thy  name,''''  Ps. 
rxxxviii.  9» 

Bb 


194  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  UPS  OF 

[76.2  John  iii.  36.     "  He  that  believeth  on  the  S'on,  hath  ever- 
"  lasting  life :  and  he  that  believeth  not  the  Son,  shall  not  see  life  ; ' 
"  but  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  on  him.*' 

It  is  no  where  written,  "  He  that  believeth  on  the  Father,  hath 
"'  everlasting  life  ;"  but  "  He  that  believeth  on  the  >S'o?i."  And 
indeed  all  the  promises  set  forth  in  the  Gospel  have  respect  to 
faith  in  the  Son ;  and  for  this  reason,  because  faith  in  the  Son 
necessarily  includes  faith  in  the  Father,  who  is  within  the  Son, 
as  the  soul  is  within  the  body  :  whereas  faith  directed  to  the  Fa- 
ther out  of,  above,  and  distinct  from  the  Son,  inasmuch  as  it  is  a 
faith  in  no  object  capable  of  being  apprehended  by  the  mind,  is  so 
far  from  being  a  true  and  living  faith,  that  it  is  in  reality  a  faith 
in  no  God  ;  because  out  o/ Jesus  Christ  no  God  whatever  is  to 
be  found  in  the  universe.  Hence  all  worship  founded  on  this 
latter  faith  necessarily  relapses  into  Deism,  Naturalism,  Material- 
ism, and  finally  into  Atheism.  So  true  is  it,  that  "  he  who  be- 
<'  lieveth  not  the  Son,  shall  not  see  life  ;  but  the  wrath  of  God 
"  abideth  on  him.^^  If  then  such  be  the  importrvnt  consequences 
of  believing,  or  not  believing,  in  the  Son,  that  is,  in  Jesus,  can 
he  be  less  than  the  true  God,  and  eternal  life  ? 


[77.']  John  iv.  14.  "  Whosoever  drinketh  of  the  water  that  / 
"  shall  give  him,  shall  never  thirst :  but  the  water,  that  /  shall 
"^ife /lim,  shall  be  in  him  a  well  of  water  springing  up  into 
"  everlasting  life.^^ 


No  mere  man,  no  angel,  can  of  and  from  himself  communicate 
such  living  wafer,  as  shall  be  capable  of  supplying  the  wants  and 
desires  of  every  immortal  spirit.  God,  who  is  the  sole  fountain 
of  life,  can  alone  bestow  so  divine  a  gift.  Jesus,  therefore,  who 
promised,  and  who  can  also  perform  it,  must  be  God. 


UNrTARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  195 

[78.]  John  V.  17,  18.  "Jesus  answered  them,  Mij  Father 
*'  worketh  hitherto,  and  I  work.  Therefore  the  Jews  sought  the 
"  more  to  kill  him,  because  he  not  only  had  broken  the  sabbath, 
"  but  said  also,  that  God  was  his  Father,  making  himself  equal  with 
"  God.'' 


Jesus  here  declares,  that  his  works  were  performed  by  the  Fa- 
ther  and  himself,  that  is,  by  the  Divinity  and  the  Humanity  united. 
On  which  account,  and  because  he  called  God,  or  the  Divinity,  his 
Father,  the  Jews  charged  him  with  making  himself  equal  with  God: 
which  charge,  so  far  from  denying  it,  he  in  the  subsequent  verses 
plainly  acknowledges  and  justifies,  saying,  "  Whatsoever  things 
*•  the  Father  doth,  these  also  doth  the  Son  likewise,''  ver.  19.  "  A3 
"  the  Father  raiseth  up  the  dead,  and  quickeneth  them ;  even  so  the 
"  Son  quickeneth  whom  he  will,"vev.  21.  And  again, "  The  Father 
"judgeth  no  man,  but  hath  committed  all  judgment  unto  the  Son, 
"  that  all  men  should  honour  the  Son,  even  as  they  honour  the  Fa- 
*'  ther :  he  that  honoureth  not  the  So7i,  honoureth  not  the  Father, 
"  who  hath  sent  him,"  ver.  22,  23. 

The  great  solicitude,  which  Jesus  appears  to  manifest  in  estab- 
lishing the  same  honour  and  respect  in  favour  of  the  Son,  that  is,  of 
himself  as  to  his  Divine  Humanity,  which  are  due  to  the  Father, 
that  is,  to  himself  likewise  as  to  his  Essential  Divinity,  cannot  but 
be  received  as  strong  and  satisfactory  evidence,  not  only  that  he 
was  in  the  continued  act  of  making  himself  equal  with  God,  but 
also  that  we  are  called  upon  to  acknowledge  him  alone  as  the  true 
Object  of  our  worship,  because  in  his  divi?ie  person  thus  made 
equal,  nay  one  with  God,  is  contained  all  that  belongs  to,  or  is 
called,  God. 

Most  singularly  coincident  with  the  present  passage  is  that  in 
the  prophet  Zechariah,  where  the  very  treatment,  which  our  Lord 
actually  received  from  the  Jewish  people,  for  thus  equalizing 
himself  with  Jehovah,  is  particularly  announced  arid  described. 
"  One  shall  say  unto  him,  What  are  thtsQ  ivounds  in  thine  haiids? 
*'  Then  he  shall  answer.  Those  with  which  I  was  wounded  in  the 
"  house  of  my  friends.  Awake,  0  sword,  against  my  Shepherd, 
"  and  against  the  Man  that  is  my  Fellow,  (Heb,  the  mighty  Man 


196  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

«  7ny  Companion,)  saith  Jehovah  of  hosts:  smite  the  Shepherd, 
"  and  the  sheep  shall  be  scattered,"  Zech.  xiii.  G,  7.  The  wound's 
in  his  hands,  received  in  tlie  house  of  his  friends^  evidently  al- 
lude, in  the  literal  sense  of  the  words,  to  the  crucifixion  of  Jesus 
bj  the  J^Jt's,  who  are  called  his  friends,  because  they  were  (re- 
presentatively at  least)  the  church  and  people  of  God.  But,  spi 
ritually  understood,  the  same  wounds  in  his  hands  signify  a  de- 
nial of  his  being  the  Omnipotent  God  in  human  form,  whether  it 
be  on  the  part  of  Jews  or  of  Christians  :  for,  as  the  hand  in  the. 
human  body  is  the  organ  of  ifs  power,  so  in  reference  to  the 
Lord  it  denotes  his  divine  power:  hence  to  wound  his  hands,  is 
to  deny  his  divinity,  especially  his  divine  attribute  of  omnipo- 
tence. 

Again,  when  Jehovah  says,  "  Awake,  O  sword,  against  wy 
<'  Shepherd,  against  the  Man  that  is  my  Fellow,''^  how  plainly 
does  this  appear  to  be  accomplished  in  the  persecution  which  was 
raised  by  the  Jews,  and  in  the  deadly  enmity  which  they  breath- 
ed, against  the  person  of  Jesus,  against  the  very  Man,  who  made 
himself  the  Equal,  the  Companion,  or  the  Fellow  of  Jehovah! 
■who  also  declared  himself  to  be  "  the  good  Shepherd,  who  giveth 
*'  his  life  for  the  sheep  !"  John  x.  11;  and  who,  when  about  to  be 
smitten,  said  to  his  disciples,  "  All  ye  shall  be  offended  because 
*'  of  me  this  night ;  for  it  is  written,  I  will  smite  the  Shepherd^ 
*'  and  the  sheep  of  the  flock  shall  bp  scattered  abroad.'"  Matt, 
xxvi.  31. 

Comparing  the  prophecy  with  the  facts  wliich  took  place  in, 
upon,  and  relative  to  Jesus  ;  and  considering  well  the  cause  or 
reason  why  he  was  persecuted  and  rejected  by  the  Jews,  viz.  that 
it  was  purely  on  account  of  the  truth  which  he  taught,  the  good 
which  he  did,  and  especially  because  he  avowed  himself  to  be  of 
divine  origin,  the  descendant  of  Jehovah  with  respect  to  his  in- 
teHor  Humanity,  and  Jehovah  himself  with  respect  to  his  Es- 
sential Divinity,  thus  at  one  time  and  in  one  respect  the  Ser- 
vant of  Jehovah,  at  another  time  and  in  another  respect  the 
EquAL  or  Fellow  of  Jehovah,  and  in  the  highest  respect  One 
AND  THE  Same  with  him  ;  how  evident  must  it  be  to  a  reflecting 
mind,  that  all  argiflinents  sought  for  and  urged  against  the  sole 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  197 

and  exclusive  Divinity  of  Jesus,  must  be  no  other  than  so  many 
attempts  to  confirm  the  opinion  of  Jews,  and  to  raze  the  very 
foundations  of  the  true  Christian  temple  ! 


[79.J  John  V.  26.    «  As  the  Father  hath  life  in  himself,  so  hath 
"  he  given  to  the  Son  td  have  life  in  himself. ^^ 


No  finite  or  created  being  can  be  said  to  have  life  in  himself^ 
the  ver}^  expression  implying  life  uncreated,  underived,  and  con- 
sequently self-existent  and  divine.  Such  life  hath  the  Father, 
sucli  also  hath  the  Son:  wherefore,  as  there  can  be  only  one  such 
life,  and  only  One  Being  in  whom  it  is  to  be  found,  it  follows, 
that  the  Father  and  the  Son,  which  are  two  terms  expressive  of 
invisible  essence  and  visible  form,  are  together  that  One.  Thus 
we  see,  that,  as  Jesus  the  Son  hath  the  same  power,  the  same  ho- 
nour, and  the  same  life,  as  Jehovah  the  Father,  he  must  also  be 
divine  ;  and  if  divine,  he  must  be  God  ^  and  if  God,  he  must  be 
the  Supreme  and  Only  God,  for  more  than  One  God  cannot  be  gi- 
ven, and  must  not  be  imagined. 


[80.]  John  v.  40.    "  Ye  will  not  come  to  me,  that  ye  might 
«  have  life.'^ 


No  man  will  approach  Jesus,  with  the  view  of  obtaining  from 
him  eternal  life,  unless  he  believe  him  to  be  God.  Unitarians 
deny  his  Divinity ;  and  Trinitarians  will  only  allow  him  a  cer- 
tain portion  of  it,  according  to  a  well-known  scale  of  their  own 
invention.  The  consequence  is,  that  neither  of  them  will  apply 
to  him  alone  ;  and  both,  but  especially  the  former,  become  obnox- 
ious to  the  same  charge,  as  was  brought  by  our  Lord  against  the 
Jews  of  old,  "  Ye  will  not  come  to  me,  that  ye  might  have  life.^^ 

Now  if  Jesus  be  "  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  /i/V,"  John  xiv. 
6 ;  and  if  in  another  place  he  says,  "  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that 


198  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

«  labour,  and  are  heavy-laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest"  Matt, 
xi.  28 ;  what  other  conclusion  can  we  draw  from  these  conside- 
rations, but  that  Jesus  himself  is  the  fountain  and  source  of  life, 
the  legitimate  Object  of  all  worship,  and  consequently  the  true 
God,  who  can  alone  hear  and  answer  prayer  ? 


[81.]  John  vi.  46.    "  Not  that  any  man  hath  seen  the  Father, 
*'  save  he  who  is  of  God,  he  hath  seen  the  Father.^"* 


Here  Jesus  plainly  distinguishes  himself  from  all  other  men, 
declaring  that  he  alone  hath  seen  the  Father,  or  the  purely  divine 
essence,  which  yet  cannot  be  seen  by  any  finite  eye.  Jehovah 
said  to  Moses,  "  Thou  canst  not  see  my  face  :  for  there  shall  no 
*'  man  see  me,  and  live,"*^  Exod.  xxxiv.  20.  But  Jesus  hath  seen 
the  Father,  and  yet  lives!  lives  as  a  Man  too!  though  most  es- 
sentially differing  from  all  other  men,  in  that  the  constituent 
principles  of  Humanity  take  their  origin  in  ftim,  while  with  all 
others  they  exist  only  by  derivation  from  him!  Surely  then  it 
must  be  evident,  that  he,  who  alone  is  capable  of  sustaining  the 
full  presence  of  Deity,  and  of  beholding  it's  infinitely  transcend- 
ent glories,  nay  of  collecting  them  into  his  own  person,  as  into 
their  proper  centre,  is  and  can  be  no  other  than  the  Supreme 
Odd  himself,  visiting  his  creatures  in  a  kind  of  amiable  disguise, 
that  in  the  end  he  may  make  himself  known  to  such  of  them,  as 
will  open  their  hearts  and  their  understandings  to  receive  him. 


[82.]  John  vi.  51  to  54.  "  lam  the  living  bread,  which  came 
"  down  from  heaven ;  if  any  man  eat  of  this  bread,  he  shall  live 
^(forever:  and  the  bread  that  I  will  give,  is  my  fiesh,  which 
«  I  will  sive  for  the  life  of  the  world.  The  Jews  therefore  strove 
"  amongst  themselves,  saying,  How  can  this  man  give  us  his  flesh 
"  to  eat  .'^  Then  Jesus  said  unto  them.  Verily  verily  I  say  unto 
«  you,  Except  ye  eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of  Man,  and  drink 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  199 

«  his  blood,  ye  have  no  life  in  you.  Whoso  eateth  my  flesh ,  and 
"  drinketh  viy  blood,  hath  eternal  life  ;  and  I  will  raise  him  up 
«  at  the  last  day." 


To  eat  the  flesh,  and  to  drink  the  blood,  of  the  Son  of  Man,  is 
to  receive  spiritual  nourishment  from  the  Word ;  and  as  his  flesh 
is  the  divine  good,  and  his  blood  the  divine  truth,  both  of  which 
are  necessary  to  salvation,  therefore  Jesus,  who  is  the  Son  of 
Man,  or  the  Word  itself  made  Man,  declares,  tliat  whoso  eateth 
his  flesh,  and  drinketh  his  blood,  receives  in  the  very  act  that 
which  constitutes  eternal  life.  But  in  the  nature  of  things  eter- 
nal life  cannot  be  in  the  gift  of  any  mere  man,  nor  of  any  created 
being  whatever.  Whence  it  follows,  that  Jesus,  who  came  down 
from  heaven  to  give  his  flesh  and  his  blood  (not  as  a  sacrifice  in 
the  room  of  sinners,  but  as  heavenly  food)  for  the  life  of  the 
world,  must  be  the  Preserver  of  that  life,  and  consequently  the 
Supreme  God,  from  whom  alone  it  is  derived. 


[83.]  John  vi.  63.  "  The  words  that  I  speak  unto  you,  they 
"  are  spirit,  and  they  are  Zi/e." 

If  the  very  words,  which  proceed  from  Jesus,  are  both  spirit 
and  life,  what  must  He  Himself  be  in  his  own  essence  and  per- 
son !  We  know,  that  all  life  proceeds  from  God,  and  that  it  can 
have  only  one  source  and  fountain.  Jesus,  therefore,  who  claims 
to  be  this  fountain  of  life,  and  whose  Word  is  an  oracle  of  truth, 
must  himself  be  the  one  self-essent,  self-existent,  and  life-inspir- 
ing God. 


[84.]    John  vi.  64.    "  Jesus  knew  from  the  beginning  whe 
*'  they  were  that  believed  not,  and  who  should  betray  himy 


200  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

Such  knowledge  as  this  is  too  much  for  any  mere  man  to  pos- 
sess ;  but  being  possessed  by  Jesus,  it  conspires  with  all  the  other 
attributes  of  perfect  Mind  to  give  us  an  idea  of  his  divine  cha- 
racter. 


[85.]  John  vi.  67,  68.  "  Jesus  said  unto  the  twelve,  Will  ye 
"  also  go  away.^  Then  Simon  Peter  answered  him,  Lord,  to 
"  whom  shall  we  go  .''  thou  hast  the  words  of  eternal  UfeP 


If  Jesus  be  the  only  Object,  to  whom  the  approach  of  the  heart 
and  the  thought  should  be  directed,  in  prayer,  in  praise,  and  in 
worship ;  and  if  indeed  the  words,  and  at  the  same  time  the  gift 
of  eternal  life  be  with  him ;  to  what  end  and  purpose  can  it  be  to 
seek  for,  or  to  apply  to,  any  other  ?  Can  a  man  desire  more  than 
eternal  life  ?  Or  can  he  hope  to  receive  it  from  more  than  one 
only  sonrce  ?  Jesus  is  declared  to  be  this  source  :  therefore  Je- 
sus is  declared  to  be  the  One  Only  God. 


[^86.]  John  vii.  18.  '•  He  that  speaketh  of  himself,  seeketh  his 
<'  own  glory :  but  he  that  seeketh  the  glory  of  him  that  sent  him. 
*'  the  same  is  true,  and  no  unrighteousness  is  in  /u/h." 

Jesus  here  speaks  of  himself  as  being  sent  by  the  Father,  and 
seeking  not /lis  own  glory,  but  the  glory  of  the  Father;  and  then 
adds,  "  The  same  is  true,  and  no  unrighteousness  is  in  him.''' 
From  which  particulars  we  learn  and  perceive  as  follows  :  1.  That 
he  himself,  while  on  earth,  was  the  truth,  as  he  likewise  plainly 
declares  in  otlier  places.  2.  That  in  the  character  or  quality  of 
truth,  particularly  of  that  truth,  which  is  accommodated  to  the 
reception  of  mankind,  he  is  said  to  be  sent  by  the  Father j  which 
is  the  same  thing  as  to  proceed  from  him  :  and  as  we  know,  that 
all  truth  proceeds  from  good,  or  all  wisdom  from  love,  therefore 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  201 

we  are  assured,  that  by  the  term  Father  h  meant  the  divins  good, 
or  the  divine  love.  3.  That  as  light  proceeding  from  the  sun  per- 
petually indicates  the  glory  of  it's  source,  and  is  of  itself,  or  con- 
sidered separately  from  it's  source,  comparatively  as  nothing  ;  so 
truth,  and  especially  divine  truth,  perpetually  points  out  and  leads 
to  divine  good  or  divine  love,  ever  exalting  it  as  it  were  above  it- 
self, as  being  th^t  radical,  original,  and  fundamental  principle, 
from  which  all  the  divine  operations  and  providences  take  their 
rise,  and  to  which  every  thing  appertaining  to  wisdom,  know- 
ledge,  ZiiiA  science,  are  iiie.Y&\y  subservient.  And  hence,  4.  We 
see  the  true  ground  and  reason  why  it  is  said,  that  Jesus  seeketh 
not  his  oic7?j  glory,  but  the  glory  of  him  that  sent  him,  viz.  because 
while  on  earth,  or  in  his  state  of  humiliation  in  the  infirm  huma- 
nity, he  had  perpetual  respect  to  the  divine  principle  within  him, 
or  the  divine  love,  called  the  Father,  from  which  he  came  forth, 
and  to  which  he  was  again  returning. 

But  it  is  further  written  of  Jesus,  yea  pronounced  by  his  own 
lips,  that  "  no  unrighteousness  is  in  him  ;"  being  the  very  words 
used  by  the  Psalmist  in  reference  to  Jehovah,  Ps.  xcii.  15.  And 
in  John  viii.  46,  Jesus  challenges  even  his  enemies  to  convict  him 
of  sin :  whereas  of  all  others,  the  children  of  men,  it  is  expressly 
declai-ed,  "  There  is  no  man  that  sinneth  not,^^  1  Kings  viii.  46. 
*'  They  are  all  gone  aside,  they  are  all  together  become  filthy  ; 
«  there  is  none  that  doth  good,  no  not  one  ;''^  Ps.  xiv.  3.  Hence 
again  we  learn,  and  with  all  the  certainty  of  truth  conclude,  that 
Jesus,  and  Jesus  alone,  in  the  capacity  which  we  now  contem- 
plate, as  being  exempt  from  evil,  exempt  from  crime,  exempt  from 
all  that  characterizes  mere  humanity,  is  and  must  be  the  Supreme 
Good,  as  well  as  the  Supreme  Truth  ,•  and  therefore  that  the  Sent 
of  God  is  no  other  than  God  himself,  appearing  in  the  world  in  a 
way  accommodated  to  the  wants  and  necessities  of  his  fallen 
creatures,  who  by  light  from  heaven  can  alone  find  their  way  back 
to  heaven. 


■Ce 


£02  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

£87.]  John  vii.  37,  38.  « In  the  last  day,  that  great  day  of  the 
"  feast,  Jesus  stood  and  cried,  saying.  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him 
^'  come  unto  me,  and  drink.  He  that  believeth  on  me,  as  the 
*'  Scripture  hath  said,  out  of  his  belly  shall  flow  rivers  of  living 
"  water.^^ 


Such  are  the  words  of  Jesus  ;  and  similar  are  the  words  of  Je- 
hovah by  his  prophet:  "Ho!  every  one  that  ihirsteth,  come 
"  ye  to  the  waters  ;  and  he  that  hath  no  money  ;  come  ye,  buy 
"  and  eat,  yea  come,  buy  wine  and  milk  without  money,  and 
"  without  price.  Incline  your  ear,  and  come  unto  me,"  Isa.  Iv. 
1,3.  "Jehovah  shall  guide  thee  continually,  and  satisfy  thy 
"  soul  in  drought,  and  make  fat  thy  bones  :  and  thou  shalt  be 
"  like  a  watered  garden,  and  like  a  spring  of  water,  whose  waters 
^'fail  not,''^  Isa.  Iviii.  11.  "  For  I  will  pour  water  upon  him 
"  that  is  thirsty,  and  floods  upon  tlie  dry  ground,''^  Isa.  xliv.  3. 

To  whom  now  shall  we  make  our  approaches  ?  to  whom  shall 
we  apply  for  this  water  of  life?  to  Jehovah,  or  to  Jesus  ?  The 
former  pronounces  himself  to  be  "  the  fountain  of  living  waters,''^ 
Jer.  ii.  13.  The  latter  says,  "  Whosoever  drinketh  of  the  water, 
*'  that  /  shall  give  him,  shall  never  thirst  ;  but  the  water,  that  I 
<'  shall  give  him,  shall  be  in  him  a  well  of  ivater  springing  up 
"  into  everlasting  life,^^  John  iv.  14.  And  he  adds  in  another 
place,  "  Let  him  that  is  athirst,  come :  and  whosoever  will,  let 
"  him  take  the  water  of  life  freely,"  Apoc.  xxii.  17.  In  both 
cases  the  invitation  is  universal,  embracing  men  of  every  clime 
and  every  age  :  and  in  the  passages  adduced  no  reference  what- 
ever appears  to  be  made,  by  either  the  one  or  the  other  of  the 
speakers,  to  any  fountain  or  source  of  life  different  and  distinct 
from  himself:  but  each  puts  in  his  respective  claim  upon  the  hear- 
er, with  an  injunction  to  follow  him,  and  him  alone.  And  yet 
both  are  acknowledged,  by  the  church  at  least,  to  be  Oracles  of 
divine  wisdom,  or  of  divine  truth. 

How  then  must  an  humble  member  of  the  church  conduct  him- 
self in  a  point  of  such  essential  consequence,  as  the  selection  of 
an  Object  for  his  faitli,  his  love,  and  his  worship,  to  rest  upon  .^ 
seeing  that  tiie  voice  of  Jehovah  from  the  Old  Testament,  and 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  303 

the  voice  of  Jesus  from  the  New,  are  equally  sounding  in  his  ears  ? 
We  know,  that  the  Divine  Being  or  Essence,  called  Jehovah,  is 
justly  entitled  to  the  adoration  of  every  intelligent  creature,  and 
that  no  other  God  must  be  set  in  competition  with  him.  But  we 
know  also,  that  as  an  essence,  abstractedly  considered,  he  is  invi- 
sible and  utterly  incompreheiisible  to  any  finite  understanding. 
He  must,  therefore,  if  he  would  make  himself  known,  present 
himself  to  liis  creatures  under  some  form,  capable  of  being  seen^ 
apprehended,  and  embraced,  as  a  divine  substance  or  person,  in 
which  all  the  divine  attributes,  qualities,  and  perfections  may  be 
concentrated  and  thus  embodied. 

Under  this  view  of  the  subject,  the  form  and  the  essence  to- 
gether must  of  necessity  be  so  identified  as  one,  that  neither  of 
them  will  admit  of  actual  separation  from  the  other  ;  though  they 
may  be  spoken  of,  and  in  part  described,  in  different  and  distinct 
terms.  Whenever,  then,  we  would  think  of  the  divine  essence,  it 
follows,  that  we  must  at  the  same  time  ascribe  to  it  the  divine 
form  ;  and  when  contrariwise  we  would  think  of  the  rfiuine/onji, 
we  must  also  in  the  same  moment  ascribe  to  it  the  divine  essence. 
Now  the  Sacred  Scriptures  inform  us,  that  the  glorified  person  of 
Jesus  Christ  is  that  divine  form  and  substance,  which  presents 
to  the  notice  and  contemplation  of  man  all  that  can  be  known  or 
perceived  of  pure  Deity:  and  hence,  as  it  is  in  the  nature  of  form, 
to  bring  us  to  an  acquaintance  with  essence,  so  it  is  written  of 
Jesus  Christ,  who  is  called  the  Son,  that  he  is  the  medium  of 
access  to  the  Father  ;  by  which  is  understood,  that  his  Divine 
Humanity  is  the  gate  of  introduction  to  his  Essential  Divi- 
nity. 

In  this  way  we  are  led  to  see  the  reasonableness  and  the  truth 
t)f  genuine  Christianity,  and  are  enabled  to  harmonize  the  appa- 
■  rehtly  discordant  points  of  revelation,  which  have  so  long  per- 
plexed the  pious  and  sincere  members  of  the  church,  while  they 
furnished  matter  of  unrighteous  triumph  to  the  sons  of  infidelity. 
And  in  the  same  way  we  perceive,  that,  while  Jehovah  and  Je-> 
sus  both  claim  to  be  the  sole  fountain  of  living  waters,  there  is  still 
only  one  such  fountain,  because  there  is  still  only  One  God;  the 
jjame  Jehovah  denoting  the  invisible  essenccy  and  the  name  Je?- 


204  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

sus  the  visible  fornix  of  one  and  the  same  infinite  and  eternal 
Being. 

Keeping  now  these  sentiments  in  view,  and  directing  our  eyes 
and  our  hearts  to  Jesus  alone,  as  to  that  divine  form,  in  whom 
is  the  divine  essence  in  all  it's  fulness  of  glory,  let  us,  with  the 
millions  of  thirsty  souls  pressing  forward  to  receive  the  blessing, 
address,  in  the  words  of  David,  David's  Lord :  "  As  the  hart 
^•panteth  after  the  water-brooks,  so  panteth  my  soul  after  thee,  O 
"  God :  my  soul  thirsteth  for  God,  for  the  living  God,''^  Ps.  xlii. 
<'  1,  2,  «  O  thou  that  hearest  prayer,  unto  thee  shall  all  flesh  come  : 
'*thou  visitestthe  earth,  and  icaterest  it ;  thou  greatly  enrichestit 
"  with  the  river  of  God,  which  is  full  ofivater,''^  Ps.  Ixv.  2,  9. 


[88.]  John  vii.  46.    «  JVerer  man  spake  like  this  Man.'** 


Though  these  words  were  uttered  by  the  officers,  whom  the 
chief  priests  and  Pharisees  had  sent  to  apprehend  Jesus,  yet  we 
are  to  assume,  that  they  contain  a  divine  truth  :  and  indeed, 
when  we  refer  to  the  language  actually  used  by  him  on  many  dif- 
ferent occasions,  we  are  compelled  to  acknowledge,  not  only  that 
he  spake  as  never  man  spake,  but  also  that  his  words  were  accom- 
panied with  a  poiver  and  effect,  wlaich  plainly  betokened  a  Divine 
Agent.  A  few  examples  will  remove  all  doubt,  if  any  doubt  can 
be  entertained  on  the  subject. 

1.  "They  brought  unto  him  many  that  were  possessed  with 
"  devils  :  and  he  cast  out  the  spirits  with  his  word,  and  healed 
"  all  that  were  sick,"  Matt.  viii.  16.  Could  these  effects  be  pro- 
duced by  any  thing  short  of  omnipotence  itself'^ 

2.  "  When  he  was  entered  into  a  ship,  there  arose  a  great  tem- 
**  pest  in  the  sea,  insomuch  that  the  ship  was  covered  with  the 
*'  waves.  Then  he  arose,  and  rebuked  the  winds  and  the  sea, 
«'  and  there  was  a  great  calm,"  Matt.  viii.  23  to  26.  Well  then 
Ttnight  the  sailors  marvel,  saying,  *'  IFJiat  manner  of  Man  is  thiSy 
♦'  that  even  the  winds  and  the  sea  obey  him  !"  ver.  27, 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  205 

3.  When  they  brought  to  Jesus  one  sick  of  the  palsy,  he  said 
unto  him,  "  Son,  be  of  good  cheer,  thy  sins  be  forgiven  thee,''^ 
Matt.  ix.  2.  But  the  scribes,  who  were  present,  said,  "  AVhy 
"  doth  this  Man  thus  speak  blasphemies  ?  Who  can  forgive  sins, 
"  but  God  alone  ?"  Mark  ii.  7.  Surely  then  the  officers  were 
justified  in  reporting,  that  "  never  man  spake  like  tJiis  Man." 

4.  Jesus  said, "  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labour,  and  are 
"  heavy-laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest,''^  Matt.  xi.  28.  Did  ever 
man  so  speak  before  P 

5.  "  Where  two  or  three  are  gathered  together  "  in  my  name, 
there  am  I  in  the  midst  of  them.  Matt,  xviii.  20.  Where  else, 
but  in  Jesus,  is  to  be  found  an  Omnipresent  Man  ? 

6.  "  Heaven  and  earth  sliali  pass  away,  but  my  words  shall  not 
"  pass  away,"  Matt.  xxiv.  35.  Again  it  may  be  asked.  Did  ever 
man  speak  like  this  Man  ? 

7.  "  Jesus  spake  unto  them,  saying,  "  All  power  is  given  unto 
<*  me  in  heaven  and  in  earth :  and  lo,  I  am  with  you  alway  even 
"unto  the  end  of  the  world,"  Matt,  xxviii.  18,  20.  What  man, 
since  the  beginning  of  the  creation,  ever  claimed  to  himself  the 
divine  attributes  of  ojnttijpo^ence  and  omnipresence,  besides  this 
Man  ? 

8.  When  "  Jesus  saw  a  fig-tree,  having  nothing  but  leaves,  he 
*'  said  unto  it,  JV*o  man  eat  fruit  of  thee  hereafter  for  ever.  And 
"  in  the  morning,  as  they  passed  by,  they  saw  the  fig-tree  dried 
"  up  by  the  roots,^^  Mark  xi.  12  to  14,  20.  What  must  be  thought 
of  a  Being  in  the  form  of  a  Man,  at  the  sound  of  whose  voice  even 
nature  shrinks  as  it  were  into  nothing  ?  Can  he  be  any  thing  short 
of  a  God-Man,  that  is,  a  Divine  Man  } 

9.  Jesus  said  unto  his  disciples,  "  These  are  the  words  which 
"  I  spake  unto  you,  while  I  was  yet  with  you,  that  all  things  must 
"be  fulfilled,  which  were  written  in  the  law  of  Moses,  and  in  the 
"  Prophets,  and  in  the  Psalms,  concerning  me,"  Luke  xxiv.  44. 
What  other  man  ever  made  so  high  a  pretension,  as  to  set  himself 
Tip  as  the  great  Subject  of  divine  revelation  ?  the  great  Object 
referred  to  in  all  the  historical,  typical,  and  prophetical  parts  of 
the  JVord,  as  well  as  in  the  Psalms  of  David  ?  None.    We  hold 


206  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

it,  tlierefore,  as  an  eternal  truth,  That  "  never  vian  spake  like 
"  this  ./l/fl?z." 

10.  Jesus  again  said,  "  I  am  the  living  bread,  which  came  down 
^^ from  heaven:  if  atiy  man  eat  of  this  bread,  he  shall  live  for 
"pre?',"  John  vi.  51.  Did  language  like  this  ever  proceed  from 
other  lips,  than  the  lips  of  Jesus  ? 

11.  "  If  ye  believe  not  that /a  ?H,  ye  shall  die  in  your  sins," 
John  viii.  24.  For  "  verily  verily  I  say  unto  you,  Before  Abra- 
<'  ham  was,  lam,''^  ver.  58.  Never,  never  can  this  be  the  descrip- 
tion of  a  7nere  man. 

12.  Jesus  said,  "  I  am  the  resurrection  and  the  life :  he  that 
"  believeth  in  me,  though  he  were  dead,  yet  shall  he  live.  And 
"  he  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  Lazarus,  come  forth.  And  he  that 
"  ivas  dead  came  forth,"  John  xi.  25,  43,  44.  Did  ever  man 
speak  with  such  authority,  and  such  effect,  as  this,  besides  the 
DivixE  Max,  whose  voice  alone  is  capable  of  impax-ting  life  to  all 
who  hear  him,  love  him,  and  obey  him .''  Justly  and  truly  then 
may  it  be  said,  Avith  all  those  who  "bare  him  witness,  and  won- 
*'  dered  at  the  gracious  words  which  proceeded  out  of  his  mouth,*' 
Luke  iv.  22,  and  in  the  language  of  the  officers  sent  to  apprehend 
him,  but  who,  on  hearing  the  words  of  Jesus,  instead  of  execut- 
ing the  order,  returned  to  their  masters  in  the  utmost  astonish- 
mejit,  and  protested,  saying,  "  J\i''ever  man  spake  like  this  J/an.'* 


[89.]  John  viii.  19.  The  Pharisees  said  unto  Jesus,  "  Where 
"is  thy  Father  ?  Jesus  answered,  Ye  neither  know  me,  nor  my 
"  Father:  if  ye  had  known  me,  ye  would  have  known  viy  Father 
"  also:' 


The  Pharisees,  who  judged  only  after  the  flesh,  (ver.  15,)  knew 
indeed  Joseph  the  reputed  father  of  Jesus,  and  Mary  his  mother, 
with  the  other  branches  of  the  family,  according  to  viere  natural 
afjinity :  but  as  they  were  wholly  ignorant  of  his  divine  genealogy., 
that  is,  of  his  descent  from  Jehovah  in  respect  to  his  interior 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  207 

human  essence,  and  of  the  character  which  in  truth  he  came  in- 
to the  world  to  sustain,  as  both  God  and  Man  united  in  one  per- 
son, therefore  our  Lord  plainly  told  them,  that  they  neitlier  knew 
him  nor  his  Father  ;  that  is  to  say,  they  neither  knew  the  mani- 
fested nor  the  unmanifesied  Deity.  Had  he  been  in  all  re- 
spects a  mere  man,  sent,  deputed,  or  commissioned  by  the  Su- 
preme Being  to  declare  his  will,  like  Moses,  Elias,  or  John  the 
Baptist,  with  what  colour  of  truth  could  he  have  represented 
himself  to  be  a  character  so  mysterious,  so  super-human,  that  the 
knowledge  of  him  was  involved  in  the  same  obscurity.,  as  the 
knowledge  of  the  invisible  God?  The  solution  of  this  problem  is 
only  to  be  found  in  the  Sacred  Scriptures  themselves,  rightly 
understood ;  the  key  to  which  was  held  up  to  our  view  by  the 
apostle  Paul,  when  he  said,  "  Without  controversy,  great  is  the 
"  mystery  of  godliness ; — God  was  manifest  in  the  jlesh,''^  1 
Tim.  iii.  16. 


[90.]  John  viii.  24.    "  If  ye  believe  not  that  I  Jim,  ye  shall  dis 
"  in  your  sins,^^ 


To  be  the  /  Jim,  is  to  be  the  one  infinite  source  of  all  life  and 
Tfeing;  and  hence  it  is  one  of  the  first  and  most  expressive  names 
of  Deity.  When  Jehovah  appeared  to  Moses,  he  declared  his 
name  to  be  /  Am :  "  Thus  shalt  thou  say  unto  the  children  of  Is- 
"  rael,  I »im  hath  sent  me  unto  you,"  Exod.  iii.  14.  But  Jesus 
declares  himself  to  be  this  I  Am,  and  enforces  the  truth  of  his  as- 
sertion with  the  highest  sanctiron  of  the  divine  law  :  "  If  ye  be-» 
**  lieve  not  that  I  Am,  ye  shall  die  in  your  sins.^^  It  is  therefore 
sinful  to  refuse  him  the  acknowledgment,  which  he  requires;  and 
the  same  penalty  attaches  to  a  want  of  faith  in  him  the  manifest- 
ed God,  as  to  a  complete  denial  of  the  divine  essence  itself  ,  name- 
ly, death  spiritual,  death  eternal.  And  this  consequence  results, 
not  in  the  way  of  an  arbitrary  sentence  from  offended  Deity,  but 
as  an  effect  inseparable  from  the  very  nature  of  the  crime,  whe- 
ther it  be  of  a  negative  or  of  a  positive  quality ;  that  is,  whether 


208  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

it  be  a  ivith-liolding  of  our  faith  from  being  directed  towards  Je- 
sus as  the  I  Am,  or  whether  it  be  a  full  and  direct  denial  of  his 
Divinity.  For  as  conjunction  with  the  Deity,  in  which  consists 
eternal  life,  can  only  take  place  while  man  reverences,  obeys,  and 
worships  him,  so  of  necessity,  if  man  would  reap  the  benefit  of 
such  conjunction,  he  must  direct  his  whole  faith  and  his  whole 
heart  to  that  divine  form,  that  Divine  Man,  Jesus  Christ,  in 
whom  alone  the  divine  essence  is  to  be  found,  or  as  Paul  justly  ob- 
serves, in  whom  alone  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead,  that  is,  the 
totality  of  Divinity,  resides  or  dwells  bodily. 


[91.]  John  viii.  46.    <«  Jesus  said  to  the  Jews,  Which  of  you 
"  convinceth  (or  rather  convicteth)  me  of  sin." 


Is  not  this  as  much  as  to  say,  "  I  am  spotless,  perfect,  holy, 
"  pure,  good  ?"  And  yet  there  is  only  One  good,  and  that  is 
God.  If  Jesus,  therefore,  in  the  highest  sense  of  the  word,  be 
the  former,  he  must  also  be  the  latter.  If  in  him  be  "  no  un- 
*'  righteousness"  at  all,  no  evil,  no  sin,  no  unholiness,  no  impu- 
rity, no  imperfection,  as  to  his  interior  essence  and  character, 
then  he  is  and  must  be,  in  that  respect,  as  he  is  also  expressly 
called  by  the  prophet,  "  Jehovah  our  Righteousness,"  Jer. 
xxiii.  6.    Jer.  xxxiii.  16.* 

*  The  passage  in  Jer.  xxxiii.  16,  has  given  occasion  to  many  commenta- 
tors to  suspect  an  error  in  the  original,  because  it  has  in  general  been 
thought,  that  the  name  Jehovah  our  Riohteocsxess,  which  is  given  to  Jeru- 
salem, cannot  with  any  degree  of  propriety  be  so  applied.  And  some  have 
even  ventured  to  assert,  that,  on  a  supposition  of  the  English  translation  be- 
ing correctly  expressed,  the  Unitarians  have  good  ground  to  infer,  that  Jescs 
Christ  (understood  by  the  Branch  mentioned  in  ver.  15,  and  in  chap,  xxiii. 
5,)  is  no  more  entitled  to  the  appellation  of  jEnovAH,  than  the  city  Jerusa- 
lem is.  But  surely  this  is  granting  too  much  to  the  enemies  of  our  Lord's 
Divinity.  For  to  admit,  that  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  as  we  have  them  in  the 
original  languages,  are  corrupted  cither  by  accident  or  design,  is  in  part  to 
set  afloat  the  great  doctrines  of  the  Christian  religion,  and  to  charge  the  Di- 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  209 

[92.]  John  viii.  58.    "  Jesus  said  unto  them,  "Verily  verily  I 
"  say  unto  you,  Before  Abraham  ivas,  I Am.^^ 

vine  Providence  with  having  neglected  to  preserve  in  their  integrity  the  laws, 
precepts,  and  ordinances,  which  he  himself  commanded  his  people  to  keep 
entire,  and  to  observe  in  all  succeeding  ages.  See  Deut.  iv.  2.  Apoc.  xxii, 
18,  19.  We  hold  the  Word,  therefore,  to  be  perfect  and  complete  as  to  every 
tittle  and  iota,  agreeably  to  the  tenour  of  our  Lord's  own  language,  when  he 
said,  "Heaven  and  earth  shall  pass  away;  but  tni/  -words  shall  not  pass  a7¥ay,'* 
Matt.  sxiv.  35.  "  It  is  easier  for  heaven  and  earth  to  pass,  than  "  one  tittle 
*'  of  the  law  to  fail,"  Luke  xvi.  17.  The  Psalmist  likewise  says,  "  The  law 
"  of  the  Lord  is  perfect ;  the  testimony  of  the  Lord  is  sxire"  Ps.  xix.  7.  And 
the  prophet  declares,  "  The  Word  of  our  God  shall  stand  for  ever"  Isa. 
si.  8. 

Seeing  then  there  is  good  reason  to  believe,  that  the  Word  of  the  Lord 
has  been  preserved  to  us  entire  as  to  every  most  minute  particular,  let  us 
advert  to  the  before-cited  passage  in  Jeremiah,  and  try  if  we  can  discover 
the  latent  cause  why  in  the  original  it  is  so  expressed,  as  to  appear  to  give 
the  name  of  Jehovah  to  the  city  Jerusalem,  wlien  yet  it  must  be  admitted, 
that,  strictly  speaking,  so  divine  a  name  can  only  belong  to  the  Supreme  God 
himself  (See  Ps,  Ixxxiii.  18.)  The  passage  is  thus  rendered:  "In  those 
"  days  shall  Judah  be  saved,  and  Jerusalem  shall  dwell  safely :  and  this 
"  is  the  name  wherewith  she  shall  be  called.  The  Lord  oun  RiGHXEors- 
•*  NESS,"  Jer.  xxxili.  16.  The  latter  part  of  the  verse  may  be  more  literally 
rendered  thus  :  "  And  this  is  what  he  shall  call  her  (or  him,)  Jehovah  oub 
*'  Justice." 

Li  the  first  place  it  may  be  observed  that  the  letter  H  in  the  Hebrew  Is 
not  only  the  common  sign  of  the  feminine  gender,  but  that  it  will  also  bear 
a  masculine  signification,  (as  in  Ps.  cxxxii.  6,  and  elsewhere;  see  Note  under 
art.  42,  p.  134.)  by  reason  of  it's  being  taken  from  the  name  Jah  or  Jehovah, 
and  therefore  in  the  highest  sense  denoting  Jehovah  himself,  that  is,  the 
Lord  ;  though  in  a  subordinate  sense  it  expresses  a  divine  quality  derived  ' 
from  him,  and  applied  to  the  church,  or  to  Jerusalem,  according  to  it's  state 
of  reception.  This  signification,  or  reference  to  the  Lord,  is  plainly  confirm- 
ed by  the  context,  as  well  as  by  it's  collateral  passage  in  Jer.  xxiii.  5,  6 ; 
wherein  mention  is  made  of  the  Branch  of  righteousness,  (or  of  justice,)  of 
David,  and  of  a  King  reigning,  and  executing  judgment  and  justice  in  the 
earth  :  for  no  person,  much  less  any  city,  as  a  mere  habitation  or  assemblage 
•f  men,  can  so  properly  be  said  to  execute  judgment  and  justice  in  the  earth, 
as  Jehovah,  and  especially  Jehovah  in  the  Humanity,  that  is,  Jesus  Christ, 
who  is  every-where  meant  by  the  Branch,  by  David,  and  by  the  promised  King. 

Dd 


210  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

What  greater  proof  of  the  divinity  of  Jesus  can  be  required!, 
or  given,  than  such  an  assurance  of  the  Eternal  Truth  ?  He  does 


But,  besides  these  names,  various  others  are  made  use  of  to  represent  the 
Lord,  such  as  Moses,  Aaron,  Abraham,  Isaac,  Jacob,  Israel,  Judah,  Joseph, 
Joshua,  Zerubbabel,  Cyrus,  Sec.  &c. ;  to  whom,  on  account  of  the  high  signifi- 
cation which  they  bear  in  the  Word,  divine  attributes  and  qualities  are  frequent- 
ly ascribed, totallyincompatiblewith  the  characterof  mere  humanity  belonging 
to  the  persons  usually  understood  by  those  names.  Thus,  when  it  is  said,  that  a 
poor  but  good  man  "  was  carried  by  angels  into  Abraham's  bosom,"  Luke  xvj. 
22,  it  is  plain,  that  by  Abraham  is  not  meant  Abraham,  but  the  Lord.  And 
when  the  prophet,  speaking  of  Israel  as  a  child,  writes,  "  Out  of  Eg}pt  have 
"  I  called  my  Son,"  Hos.  xi.  1,  it  is  equally  plain,  that  the  Lord  is  understood, 
because  the  passage  is  so  interpreted  in  Matt.  ii.  15. 

And  not  qnly  do  persons  represent  the  Lord,  but  places  also,  and  inanimate 
things, do  the  same;  as  the  temple,  the  tabernacle,  the  altar,  &c.  Now  if  the 
names  of  these  persons,  places,  and  things,  are  given  representatively  to  the 
Lord;  so  reciprocally  the  name  and  attributes  of  the  Lord  are  sometimes  ap- 
plied to  them.  For  example,  it  is  written,  "Is  this  house,  -which is  called  fn/ 
•'  my  name,  become  a  den  of  robbers  ?"  Jer.  vii,  11,  14;  chap,  xxxii.  34.  The 
same  prophet  also  in  the  name  of  the  people  says,  "  Thou,  O  Jehovah,  art  in 
*'  the  midst  of  us,  and  wc  are  called  by  thy  name"  Jer.  xlv.  9.  And  in  his  own 
person,  as  a  representative  of  the  Lord,  he  adds,  "  /  am  called  by  thy  name,  O 
"  Jehovah  God  of  hosts,"  Jer.  xv.  16.  Again  it  is  said,  "  The  house  of  Da- 
"  vid shall  be  as  God"  Zech.  xii. 8.  And  in  the  Psalms  the  members  of  the 
church  are  called  Gods:  '^  I  have  said,  Ye  are  Gods;  and  all  of  you  are  chil- 
"drenof  the  Most  High,"  Ps.  lxxxii.6.  The  city  Jerusalem  is  likewise  call- 
ed "Jehovah  there,"  Ezek.  xlviii.35.  What  wonder  then  is  it,  if,  in  refe- 
rence to  the  presence  of  Jehovah  in  Jerusalem,  or  in  his  church  and  it's  doc- 
trine, she  should  also  be  called  Jehovah  ouu  Righteousness;  seeing  that  by 
her  name  is  meant  her  quality ,-  and  the  quality  of  the  church  as  a  genuine, 
church  is  solely  derived  from  Jehpvah,  that  is,  from  the  Lord;  he  being  in 
himself,  and  as  received  by  his  people,  the  whole  and  sole  constituent  of  all 
their  righteousness  ?  "  This  is  the  heritage  of  the  servants  of  Jehovah  ;  and 
*'  their  righteousness  is  of  me,  saith  Jehovah,"  Isa  liv.  17.  To  which  may  be 
added  what  our  Lord  says  of  himself  and  his  church,  viz.  that  in  a  certain 
sense  they  may  be  considei'cd  as  one,  because  "  he  divelteth  ?>»  them,  and  they  in 
"/«»),"  John  vi.  56;  chap.  xiv.  20,  21;  chap.  xv.  5,  7;  chap.  xvil.  21  to  23. 
But,  as  before  observed,  strictly  and  properly  speaking,  there  is  only  One  Di- 
vine Being,  "  whose  name  alone  is  Jehovau,"  and  that  is  "  the  Most  HigJi 
^'-  over  all  the  earth,"  Ps.  Ixxxjii.  18. 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  211 

not  simply  assert  his  pre-existence  before  the  days  of  Abraham, 
in  the  way  that  even  Avians  will  acknowledge,  that  is,  as  still 
having  relation  to  the  successions  of  time,  like  a  mere  angel,  a 
mere  finite  creature  of  yesterday;  and  therefore  he  says  not, 
*  Before  Abraham  was,  I  was  ;'  but,  entering  as  it  were  into  his 
pure  Esse  of  life,  he  declares  himself  to  be  the  Everlastitig  I  Jim, 
that  fundamental  and  original  root  of  all  being,  which,  though 
present  in  all  times,  as  well  as  in  all  spaces,  (mere  properties  of 
created  nature,)  is  yet  infinitely  above  both  time  and  space,  bear- 
ing no  relation  whatever  either  to  the  successions  of  the  one,  or 
to  the  extension  and  mensurability  of  the  other.  Can  the  Being, 
who  with  all  the  authority  of  divine  truth  thus  characterizes  him- 
self as  the  one  self-essent  and  self-existent  God,  be  yet  no  other 
than  a  mere  man,  or  a.  mere  creature  of  any  description  whatever? 
Common  sense  revolts  at  the  question,  and  in  a  tone  of  most  sig- 
nificant indignation  replies,  "  It  deserves  no  answer." 

Admitting  that  this  great  and  holy  God  could  and  did  conde- 
scend to  clothe  himself  with  our  nature,  and  put  on  the  appear^ 
tnce  of  simple  humanity,  does  it  follow,  that  for  that  reason  he 
was  actually  and  truly  no  more  than  what  he  appeared  to  be  ?  or 
that  he  had  so  far  divested  himself  of  his  Divinity,  as  no  longer 
to  possess  it  even  in  his  interior  essence,  because  it  was  not  at 
first  to  be  discerned  in  his  exterior  form  ?  On  the  contrary,  is 
it  not  more  just  to  conclude,  that  the  divine  nature  and  essence 
must  ever  have  been  inseparable  from  him,  notwithstanding  the 
veil,  whicli  was  mercifully  drawn  over  it  ?  Is  it  not  more  reason- 
able also  to  expect,  that  occasionally,  even  during  the  time  of 
such  humiliation,  he  would  plainly  assert  his  divine  character  and 


It  appears  then  from  all  these  considerations,  that,  as  divine  giialities,  which 
are  denoted  by  divine  names,  are  frequently  in  the  Word  ascribed  to  the 
church,  by  reason  of  her  conjunction  or  spiritual  marriage  with  the  Lord  her 
Husband,  who  thus  honours  her  with  a  kind  of  participation  i7i  his  glory,  still 
in  the  inmost  or  supreme  sense  of  the  various  passages,  where  such  names  or 
qualities  are  found  so  applied,  the  Lord  alone  is  properly  entitled  to  them, 
though  in  his  divine  love  he  is  willing  to  communicate  to  liis  people,  accord* 
ingto  their  capacity  of  reception,  all  that  he  possesses  in  himself. 


£12  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

prerogatives,  whensoever  it  seemed  good  to  that  inscrutable  wis- 
dom, which  lay  concealed  within  him  ?  And  lastly,  is  it  to  be 
wondered  at,  or  is  it  to  be  doubted,  as  a  thing  exceeding  and 
thereby  confounding  all  faith,  that  the  same  God,  after  having 
performed  the  great  work,  for  which  he  came  down  from  heaven 
to  earth,  should  at  length  lay  aside  that  appearance  of  mere  hu- 
manity, which  he  had  assumed  for  a  time,  and  return,  by  resur- 
rection and  ascension,  into  that  ineffable  glory,  which  he  had  in 
himself  before  all  worlds,  and  which  now  beams  upon  his  creation 
witli  a  seven-fold  splendor  ? 

To  obtain  a  right  understanding  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  es- 
pecially in  reference  to  the  Lord,  his  descent  into  the  world  by 
the  assumption  of  our  nature,  his  states  of  humiliation,  temptation, 
and  progressive  glorification,  till  he  finally  returned  to  the  Father, 
or  Divine  Essence,  from  which  he  came  forth,  it  will  on  many  oc- 
casions be  found  highly  necessary  to  observe  the  distinction  be- 
tween geniiiiie  and  apparent  truths.  The  business  of  explanation, 
in  almost  all  difficult  points,  consists  in  properly  separating  the 
one  kind  of  tliese  froni  the  other,  and  so  arranging  them  in  the 
naind,  as  to  produce  a  consistent  and  harmonious  view  of  divine 
revelation.  The  apparent  trutlis  are  those  in  general,  which  first 
of  all  present  themselves  to  the  notice  of  man,  and  which,  by 
their  adaptation  to  his  imperfect  apprehension  of  heavenly  things, 
either  lead  him  on  gradually  to  the  genuine  trutli,  or  else  draw 
him  away  from  it,  according  to  the  state  and  quality  of  his  life. 
When  they  lead  to  genuine  truth,  they  in  process  of  time  die. 
away  of  themselves,  and  are  at  last  extinguished  as  it  were  by 
the  presence  of  superior  light.  But  when,  on  the  contrary,  they 
become  the  occasion  of  withdrawing  the  mind  from  the  percep- 
tions of  genuine  trutli,  and  are  confirmed  by  fallacious  reasonings, 
they  then  spread  a  cloud  of  darkness  over  every  subject  of  theo- 
logical inquiry,  until  not  a  single  truth  can  be  seen  in  it's  purity. 

To  assist  those,  who  may  be  desirous  of  availing  themselves  of 
the  distinction  here  alluded  to,  we  annex  the  following  Tables, 
which  may  serve  as  a  kind  of  Key  to  unlock  some  of  the  doors 
belonging  to  the  Temple  of  Wisdom,  and  so  give  access  to  the 
holy  of  holies  within  that  temple.    But  to  those,  wlio  have  no  de- 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  213 

sire  to  enter,  the  Key  will  appear  too  simple  in  it's  construction 
to  merit  their  attention  for  a  moment.  They  will  therefore,  after 
once  looking  at  it,  throw  it  away  in  contempt,  and  still  remain  in- 
capable of  passing  even  the  outer  gate. 


THE  KEY. 

TABLE  I. 

Of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  as  he  is  in  himself,  and 
as  he  appears  to  man,  it  may  be  truly  said,  according  to  the 
Sacred  Scriptures,  that, 

1.  He  is  lovft, and  appears  wisdom. 

2.  He  is  good, and  appears  truth. 

3.  He  is  spiritual  fire, and  appears  spiritual  light. 

4.  He  is  life  itself, and  appears  an  organ  or  reci- 

pient of  life. 

5.  He  is  the  fountain, and  appears  the  stream. 

6.  He  is  the  principal,   and  appears  the  instrument. 

7.  He  is  the  giver,   and  appears  the  receiver. 

8.  He  is  the  sender, and  appears  the  sent. 

9.  He  is  infinite, and  appears  finite. 

10.  He  is  immense, and  appears  capable  of  measure, 

11.  He  is  eternal, and  appears  temporary. 

12.  He  is  immutable,  ...*....  and  appears  mutable. 

13.  He  is  omnipotent, and  appears  infirm. 

14.  He  is  omniscient, and  appears  ignorant  of  some 

things. 

15.  He  is  omnipresent, and  appears  subject  to  locality, 

16.  He  is  divine, and  appears  human. 

17.  He  is  glorified, and  appears  crucified. 

18.  He  is  the   owner    of  all  >      and  appears  destitute  of  every 

things, 5  thing. 

19.  He  is  the  dispenser  of  >      and  appears  hungry  and  thirsty 


[■  ot  > 


food  to  the  hungry,  . .  S  himself. 


214  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

20.  He  is  the  Most  High, and  appears  the  Most  Lowlj. 

21.  He  is    the    Ancient    of"^ 

days,     whose     goings    1  and  appears  the  Son  of  Man 
forth  were  from  of  old,    j  born  in  time, 

from  eternity, ^ 

22.  He  is  the  King, and  appears  the  minister. 

23.  He  is  the  Sovereign, and  appears  the  messenger. 

24.  He  is  Lord  and  Master,. . .  and  appears  a  servant. 

25.  He  is  the  Husband, and  appears  a  brother. 

26.  He  is  the  Creator, and  appears  a  creature. 

27.  He  is  the  Parent, and  appears  a  Child. 

28.  He  is  the  Father, and  appears  the  Son. 

29.  He  is  God, and  appears  Man. 

30.  He  is  Jehovah, and  appears  Jesus. 

TABLE  IL 

Again,  of  the  same  Divine  Being,  as  Jehovah,  it  may  also  be 
said  from  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  that, 

1.  He  is  a  friend, and  appears  an  enemy. 

"^      and  appears  partial  in  his  fa- 

2.  He  is  good  to  all  with-   {  ,     ^.  , 

°         .  J>  vours,  electing  some,  and 

out  exception, •  .     ^.        ,, 

^  J  rejecting  others. 

3.  He  is  merciful, and  appears  angry. 

4.  He  is  compassionate, and  appears  vindictive. 

5.  He  is  tender, and  appears  terrible    in  judg- 

ment. 

G.  He  is  a  Saviour, and  appears  a  punisher  and  de- 
stroyer. 

7-  He  is  a  forgiver  of  sins,  . . .  and  appears  to  require  an  atone- 
ment for  thern. 

8.  He  is  always  ready  to  ^      and  appears  at  times  deaf  to  in- 

answer  prayer, 5  treaty. 

9.  He  is  a  sun  of  righteous-  "^ 

ness  for  ever  shining   I      and  appears  to   hide   his  face 
on  the  evil  and  on  the    |  from  the  disobedient, 

good, J 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  215 

■^      and  appears  several,  by  reason 

10.  He  is  One  both   in  es-   !  of  the  variety  of  names 

sence  and  in  person, . ,    «  which  characterize  him. 

The  preceding  Tables  might  each  be  enlarged  with  examples 
of  a  similar  kind  :  but  these  are  amply  sufficient  to  shew  the  na- 
ture of  appearances,  both  of  the  higher  and  of  the  lower  order, 
which  form  the  most  usual  language  of  the  written  Word,  and 
for  want  of  distinguishing  which  from  more  interior  genuine  truths 
so  many  errors  have  inundated  the  Christian  church.     The  Jews 
knew  nothing  of  the  distinction  above  pointed  out :  hence  it  was, 
that  when  our  Lord  plainly  asserted  his  genuine  character,  by 
saying  to  them,  "  Before  Abraham  was,  /,^m,"  they  immediate- 
ly "  took  up  stones  to  cast  at  him."     But  the  consequence  was, 
that  "  Jesus,  hid  himself,  and  went  out  of  the  temple,  going  through 
''  the  midst  of  them,  and  so  passed  by,"  ver.  59.     So  it  appears, 
that  in  the  present  day  Christians,  so  called,  have  scarce  any  more 
interior  knowledge  of  Jesus,  than  the  Jews  had  formerly  :  for 
when  it  is  openly  proclaimed  in  their  ears,  that  he  is  the  Ever- 
living  Jehovah,  or  God   the  Father   Himself,  which  is  no 
more  that  an  echo  of  his  own  words,  when  he  says,  "  Before  Abra- 
"  ham  was,  I  Am,"  they  in  like  manner  take  up  stones,  (spiritual- 
ly understood,)  and  cast  at  him,  by  denying  that  he  is  the  Great 
Personage,  whom  such  language  exclusively  describes.     What 
wonder  then  is  it,  that  Jesus  should  now  spiritually  hide  himself 
from  Christians,  as  he  did  before  literally  from  Jews,and  depart  out 
of  their  temple,  going  through  the  midst  of  them,  and  so  jmss  by  ? 
There  is  no  doubt,  that  it  has  actually  so  happened  ;  and  in- 
deed that  the  temple  has  fallen  to  the  ground  during  his  absence; 
while  the  builders  and  dilapidators,  the  buyers  and  sellers  of  ox- 
en, sheep,  and  doves,  the  table-keepers  and  changers  of  money, 
together  with  the  carriers  of  vessels,  (Matt.  xxi.   12.  Mark  xi. 
15,  16.  John  ii.   15,  16.)  each  one  disputing  with  his  neighbour 
about  the  altar,  the  ark,  and  the  testimony,  the  gold,  the  silver, 
and  the  brazen  utensils,  the  table,  the  candlesticks,  the  flowers, 
the  lamps,  the  tongs,  the  bowls,  the  snuffers,  the  basons,  the 
spoons,  the  censers,  the  hinges  of  the  doors,  the  lavers,  the  sho-i 


216  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

vels,  the  pots,  and  whatever  else  belonged  to  the  house,  as  well 
as  about  the  costly  stones  and  other  materials  of  the  outward 
structure,  (1  Kings  vii.  9  to  11,  40,  48  to  50.)  are  (in  too  many 
instances)  busily  employed  in  purloining  and  secreting  for  them- 
selves the  scattered  wealth  and  riches  of  the  place.  (Isa.  Ivi.  11.) 
Sound  doctrine  and  a  suitable  life  can  alone  restore  the  fallen  tem- 
ple, and  cause  Jerusalem  to  become  "  a  quiet  habitation,  a  taberna- 
"  cle  that  shall  not  be  taken  down  :"  of  which  it  may  then  be  said, 
that  "  not  one  of  the  stakes  thereof  shall  ever  be  removed,  neither 
"  shall  any  of  the  cords  thereof  be  broken.  But  there  the  glori- 
"  ous  Jehovah  will  be  unto  us  a  place  of  broad  rivers  and 
"streams.  For  Jehovah  is  our  Judge,  Jehovah  is  our  Law- 
"  giver,  Jehovah  is  our  King ;  he  will  save  us,"  Isa.  xxxiii.  20 
to  24. 


[93.]  John  X.  14,  16.  "  I  am  the  good  Shepherd,  and  know  my 
"  sheep,  and  am  known  of  mine.  And  other  sheep  I  have,  which 
"  are  not  of  this  fold  :  them  also  I  must  bring,  and  they  shall  hear 
"  my  voice  ;  and  there  shall  be  one  fold,  and  One  Shepherd,''^ 


Let  this  passage  be  compared  with  those  in  the  Old  Testament, 
which  so  decidedly  teach,  that  the  great  Shepherd  of  souls  is  no 
other  than  their  Creator  and  Preserver.  David  emphatically  says, 
»'  Jehovah  is  my  Shepherd,  I  shall  not  want:  he  maketh  me  to 
"  lie  down  in  green  pastures  ;  he  leadeth  me  beside  the  still  wa- 
"  ters  :  he  restoreth  my  soul :  he  leadeth  me  in  the  paths  of  righte- 
"  ousness  for  his  name's  sake,"  Ps.  xxiii.  1  to  3.  Isaiah  likewise 
declares  to  the  same  purpose:  "Behold,  the  Lord  Jehovih* 

♦  The  reader  is  requested  to  observe  the  distinction  here  made  between  Je- 
aoTiH  (spelt  with  an  I)  and  Jehovah  (spelt,  as  is  usual,  with  an  A.)  When- 
ever the  name  Jehovah  is  used  alone,  or  singly  precedes  the  term  God,  or  Ze- 
3A0TH,  which  signifies  ahmies  or  hosts,  in  all  such  cases  the  word  is  uniform- 
ly spelt  with  an  A  in  the  original  Hebrew ;  thus  Jehovah,  Jehovah  God,  Je- 
hovah Zebaoth,  or  Jehovah  of  hosts.  But  whenever  this  name  of  Deity  is 
preceded  by  the  term  Lobd  (Adonai,)  without  any  affix  to  tlus  latter,  it  is 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  217 

"  will  come  with  strong  hand  :  he  shall  feed  his  flock  like  aShep' 
<'  herd :  he  shall  gather  the  lambs  with  his  arm,  and  carry  them  in 
*'  his  bosom,  and  shall  gently  lead  tliose  tliat  are  with  young," 
Isa.  xl.  10,  11.  Similar  is  the  language  of  Ezekiel,  chap,  xxxiv. 
11,  13  to  16. 

Consider  now ;  the  pious  and  sincere  among  mankind,  or  the 
true  members  of  the  church  universal,  wheresoever  scattered  over 
the  face  of  the  earth,  and  whatever  may  be  their  religious  creeds 
or  professions,  are  called,  both  by  Jehovah,  and  by  Jesus,  his 
flock,  his  sheep,  which  shall  be  collected  together  into  one  fold, 
and  thus  brought  to  acknowledge  only  One  Shepherd,  if  not  in 
the  present  life,  most  assuredly  in  that  which  is  to  come.  But 
which  of  the  two  names  shall  in  the  end  be  received  and  confes- 
sed by  the  church  ?  Only  one  answer,  consistent  with  the  whole 
tenour  of  divine  revelation,  can  be  given  to  this  question  ;  which 

then  always  spelt  with  an  I,  instead  of  an  A ;  thus.  Lord  Jehovih  (Adonai 
Jehovih,)  and  never  Lonu  Jehovah  (Adonai  Jehovah.)  The  words  Lord  Je- 
hovah in  Isa.  xii.  2 ;  and  in  chap.  xxvi.  4,  ought  to  have  been  rendered  Jah 
Jehovah.  From  a  careful  examination  of  every  verse  in  the  Sacred  Scrip- 
tures, that  is,  in  the  genuine  books  of  the  Word,  (see  Note  under  art.  136.)  we 
find,  that  Adonai  Jehovih  occurs  297  times;  Adonai  Jehovih  Zebaoth,  15 
times ;  Jehovih  Adonai,  5  times  ;  Adon  Jehovah  Zebaoth,  4  times ;  and 
Adon  Jehovah,  once. 

In  our  English  bibles  the  translaters  have  almost  always  rendered  the  name 
Jehovah  by  the  word  Lord,  printed  in  capital  letters  :  but  the  name  Jehovih 
they  have  perhaps  invariably  rendered  God,  printed  also  in  capital  letters,  as 
in  Ps.  Ixviii.  20.  Ps,  Ixix.  6.  Isa.  xl.  10 ;  chap.  1.  4,  5,7,9;  chap.  Ixi.  1.  Jer. 
xxxii.  17,  25.  Ezek.  ii.  4  ;  chap.  ili.  11,  27 ;  and  in  forty  other  chapters  of  the 
same  prophet.  Amos  iv.  2,  5.  Obad.  1 ;  Zeph.  i.  7 ;  5cc.  &c.  &c.  However, 
many  of  the  editions  of  the  bible  are  found  to  be  very  incorrect  in  the  above 
particulars  ;  though  the  rule,  which  the  translators  laid  down  for  themselves, 
seems  pretty  evident. 

We  may  in  conclusion  remark,  that  the  term  Jehovah  is  expressive  of  the 
divine  essence  generally ;  but  the  term  Jehovih,  of  the  same  divine  essence 
with  specific  relation  to  the  attribute  of  omnipotence,  as  is  plain  from  Isa. 
xl.  10  :  "  Behold,  the  Lord  Jehovih  will  come  with  strong  hand,  and  his  arm 
"  shall  rule  for  him."  And  from  Ps.  Ixxi.  16 :  <'  I  will  go  in  the  strength  of 
"  the  Lord  Jehovih." 

Ee 


218  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

16,  That  both  will  be  acknowledged  as  belonging  to  one  and  the 
same  ever-blessed  and  ever-adorable  Parent  and  Preserver  of  an- 
gels and  men  ;  the  name  Jehovah  denoting  the  yet  immanifested 
Divinity,  and  the  name  Jesus  the  same  Divinity  now  become  in- 
carnate. Thus  both  names  and  characters  shall  henceforth  be 
for  ever  united  in  that  one  most  expressive,  most  endearing,  and 
divinely-approved  name— -The  Lord, — which  in  the  supreme 
sense  belongs  only  to  him,  who  was  and  is  Jehovah  in  the  human 
form,  God  Himself  manifested  in  the  flesh.  And  herein  also, 
even  in  an  external  sense,  is  fulfilled  the  prophecy,  which  says» 
"  In  that  day  Jehovah  shall  be  One,  and  his  name  One,^^  Zech. 
xiv.  9.  This  then  is  the  One  Good  Shepherd,  whose  voice  shall 
alone  be  heard  in  every  mountain,  hilJ,  and  valley  of  the  church, 
until  at  length  not  one  of  his  sheep,  not  one  of  his  people,  shall 
have  occasion  to  say  to  another,  "  Know  the  Lord,'"'  but  they 
shall  all,  from  the  least  of  them  even  unto  the  greatest  of  them, 
know?  followy  and  worship  him  alone. 


[94.]  John  X.  15,  18.  "I  lay  down  my  life  for  the  sheep.  wVo 
"  man  taketh  it  from  me,  but  I  lay  it  down  of  myself:  I  have 
"power  to  lay  it  down,  and  /  have  power  to  take  it  again.'^ 


Is  this  the  language  of  a  mere  man,  bidding  defiance  to  the 
united  powers  of  all  other  men  to  deprive  him  of  life  ?  It  cannot 
be.  Again,  what  finite  being,  after  laying  down  and  thus  relin- 
quishing his  life  in  the  natural  world,  can  at  pleasure  re-assiime  it 
in  another  and  more  perfect  state,  purely  by  virtue  of  his  own 
power?  "  I  have  power  (says  Jesus)  to  lay  down  my  life,  and 
"  I  have  power  to  take  it  again.^^  Comment  is  unnecessary, 
when  the  thing  speaks  for  itself. 


[95.]  John  X.  Sr  to  30.   "  My  sheep  hear  my  voice,  and  I  know 
them,  and  they  follow  me.     And  /  give  unto  them  eternal  life^ 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  Sl9 

'^  and  they  shall  never  perish,  neither  shall  any  pluck  them  out 
"  of  my  hand.  My  Father,  who  gave  them  vie,  is  greater  than 
"  all :  and  none  is  able  to  pluck  them  out  of  my  Father^s  hand. 
*<  I  and  my  Father  are  One. 


They  who  follow  and  acknowledge  Jesus,  are  here  denomina- 
ted his  sheep  ;  and  he  says,  "  I  give  unto  them  eternal  life,  nei- 
•-'  ther  shall  any  pluck  them  out  of  my  hand.^^  But  he  adds,  that 
none  is  able  to  pluck  them  out  of  his  Father^s  hand,  although  he 
at  the  same  time  declares,  that  the  Father  had  given  them  to  him* 
It  may  well  be  asked,  How  can  the  sheep  be  in  the  hands  of  the 
Father,  and  also  in  the  hands  of  Jesus,  if  they  are  two  separate 
and  distinct  persons  ?  If  the  Father  had  delivered  them  up  into 
the  hands  0/ Jesus,  why  is  it  still  said,  that  none  can  pluck  them 
out  of  the  Father'' s  hand,  just  as  if  no  mention  whatever  had  been 
previously  made  of  any  transfer  ?  The  apparent  difficulty  of  the 
case  is  completely  removed,  first,  by  the  Lord's  own  words, 
which  immediately  succeed ;  and  secondly,  and  more  fully,  by 
the  true  sense,  which  he  has  elsewhere  taught  us  to  put  upon  his 
words.  "  I  and  my  Father  (says  he)  ai'e  One.^^  This  i  s  the 
solution,  which  is  illustrated  by  the  consideration,  that,  as  the 
soul  of  a  man  transfers  all  it's  powers  and  energies  to  the  body, 
yet  without  suffering  any  diminution  of  either,  so  the  Father,  or 
the  Essential  Divinity,  transfers  to  his  Son  Jesus,  or  the  Divine 
Humanity,  all  his  omnipotence,  for  the  sole  purpose  of  protecting 
and  defending  his  people,  yet  without  divesting  himself  of  any 
one  of  his  divine  attributes.  For  still,  after  all  that  has  been  said, 
or  can  be  said,  on  the  subject,  the  Father  and  Jesus  are,  both 
in  essence  and  in  person,  indivisibly  one  and  the  same  Gro^Z,  just 
as  the  soul  and  the  body  are  indivisibly  one  and  the  same  man. 


I 

[96.]  John  X.  33.  The  Jews  said  unto  Jesus,  "  For  a  good 
**  work  we  stone  thee  not ;  but  for  blasphemy,  and  because  that 
■■'  thou,  being  a  Man,  m<ikest  thyself  God.^^ 


iW  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

The  occasion,  on  whicli  the  Jews  had  taken  up  stones  to  stone 
Jesus,  was,  because  he  had  just  before  declared,  that  he  and  the 
Father  were  One.  This  they  considered  as  blasphemy,  and  the 
same  thing  as  making  himself  God,  when  yet  they  took  him  to  be 
no  more  than  a  mere  man.  Do  not  their  successors,  the  Unitari- 
ans, treat  him  precisely  in  the  same  way,  with  this  only  differ- 
ence, that  the  stones,  which  they  now  cast  at  Jesus,  are  falses  of 
doctrine,  whereby  they  would  deprive  him  of  divine  life,  that  is, 
of  every  claim  to  divinity  /  whereas  the  stones,  which  the  Jews 
cast  at  him,  with  a  view  to  deprive  him  of  natural  life,  were  only 
earthly,  material  stones,  these  latter  being  truly  representative  or 
significative  of  the  former  ? 

The  Jews  seem  to  have  been  aware,  that  the  purport  and  ten- 
dency of  our  Lord's  words  and  works  was  first  to  create  an  idea 
of  his  divine  character,  and  next  to  induce  on  the  minds  of  the 
people  a  conviction,  that  he  was  the  omnipotent  God,  though  veil- 
ed in  human  flesh ;  which  condition  of  Deity,  being  evidenth'^  an 
accommodation  to  the  apprehension  of  man,  and  not  an  over^ 
whelming  demo7istratio7i  of  the  divine  presence,  such  as  would  be 
that  of  the  naked  glory  of  the  Father,  is  usually  called  in  Scrips 
ture  the  Son  of  God.  Whensoever,  therefore,  Jesus  announced 
himself  to  be  the  Son  of  God,  as  in  ver.  36  of  the  chapter,  from 
which  we  take  our  present  subject,  it  was  in  itself  tantamount  to 
a  plain  declaration  of  his  identity  witli  the  Father  himself.  For 
while  the  term  Father  denotes  the  divine  essence,  and  the  term 
Son  the  divine  form,  it  is  evident,  that  he,  who  is  the  one,  must 
also  be  the  other. 

Apprized  of  this  kind  of  language,  and  accustomed  to  it,  as 
men  were  in  ancient  times,  though  little  understood  in  the  pre- 
sent day,  the  Jews,  at  the  period  of  our  Lord's  first  appearance 
in  the  world,  never  once  thought  of  having  recourse  to  the  kind 
of  e.rplanation,  which  our  modern  Unitarians  adopt,  in  reference 
to  the  JiHation  of  Jesus,  saying,  that  he  is  called  the  Son  of  God 
merely  by  way  of  courtesy,  grace,  favour,  or  pre-eminence  over 
other  messengers  of  Deity,  when  in  fact  they  consider  him  to  be 
no  more  the  Son  of  God,  than  any  other  good  man.  On  the  con- 
trary, the  very  phrase.  Sun  of  God,  excited  in  the  breast  of  Jew? 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  221 

an  indignation,  which  they  could  not  well  restrain,  because  they 
knew,  that  lie  was  thereby  making  himself  God,  as  plainly  as  if 
he  had  in  direct  words  asserted  it.  And  indeed  our  Lord  him- 
self, so  far  from  undeceiving  them  in  this  point,  or  in  the  small- 
est degree  discountenancing  the  idea,  which  they  had  taken  up, 
of  his  making  himself  God,  reasons  with  them  evidently  on  the 
ground  of  admitting  and  acknowledging  this  part  of  the  charge  in 
it's  fullest  extent.  For  thus  he  answered  them  :  "  Is  it  not  writ- 
•■'  ten  in  your  law,  I  said.  Ye  are  gods  ?  If  he  called  them  gods^ 
"  unto  whom  the  Word  of  God  came,  and  the  Scripture  cannot 
"  be  broken ;  say  ye  of  him,  whom  the  Father  hath  sanctified,  and 
"  sent  into  the  world,  Thou  blasphemest :  because  I  said,  I  am 
"  the  Son  of  God  ?  If  I  do  not  the  works  of  mi/  Father,  believe 
"  me  not.  But  if  I  do,  though  ye  believe  not  me,  believe  the 
"  works  ;  that  ye  may  know  and  believe,  that  the  Father  is  in 
"  me,  and  I  in  him,''^  ver.  34  to  38. 

Reduced  into  another  form,  the  reasoning  is  plainly  as  follows: 
"  If  angels  or  men  may,  by  way  of  courtesy,  or  from  a  respect  to 
"  the  divine  truths  of  which  they  are  receptive,  be  called  gods, 
*'  merely  because  the  Word  of  God  came  to  them,  was  preached 
"  to  them,  and  taught  them  hovv  to  become  images  of  Grod  ;  can  it 
*'  be  matter  of  blasphemy,  nay  can  it  be  anything  short  of  divine 
«<  truth  itself,  in  the  mouth  and  on  the  part  of  him,  who  is  essen- 
<'  tially  holy,  and  who  is  indeed  the  very  Word  made  flesh,  to  as- 
"  sert,  that  he  is  the  Son  of  God,  the  form  of  the  dicine  essence, 
<'  or,  in  other  words,  God  himself  appearing  in  the  human 
<^form?'' 

Jesus,  therefore,  by  admitting,  elucidating,  and  confirming  the 
charge,  brought  against  him  by  the  Jews,  of  equalizing  himself 
with  the  Supreme  Being,  most  clearly  teaches  us,  that  he  made 
himself  God. 

But  there  is  a  still  higher  sense,  in  which  it  may  truly  be  said 
of  Jesus,  that  he,  being  a  Man,  made  himself  God.  While  on 
earth,  in  the  mere  humanity,  he  was  an  organized  form  receptive 
of  the  divine  truth  proceeding  from  the  divine  essence  within 
him  :  but  in  proportion  as  he  entered  into  union  with  that  es- 
sence, and  thereby  became  om  with  the  Fath&r,  in  the  same  pro- 


£22  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

portion  he  put  off  the  organic  forms,  which  Avere  receptive  of  life, 
and  in  their  stead  acquired  to  himself,  or  put  on,  divine  forms  et 
wisdom  and  love,  which,  propcrlj-^  speaking,  are  not  in  themselves 
mere  receptacles  of  life,  but  really  and  substantially  life  in  them- 
selves. Hence  it  is  written,  that,  "  as  the  Father  hath  life  in 
"  himself,  so  hath  he  given  to  the  Son  to  have  life  in  himself ^''^ 
John  V.  26.  But  this  union  between  the  Father  and  the  Son,  that 
is,  between  the  Divinity  and  the  Humanity,  was  effected  recipro- 
cally on  the  part  of  each;  on  which  account  it  is  again  written, 
and  the  words  proceed  from  the  lips  of  Jesus  himself,  "  Father, 
*'  the  hour  is  come ;  glorify  thy  Son,  that  thy  Sou  also  may  gio- 
<*  rify  thee,'''  John  xvii.  1.  To  glorify  the  Son,  is  to  render  the 
Humanity  Divine ;  and  to  glorify  the  Father,  is  to  render  tlie 
Divinity  Human.  Thus  it  may  be  truly  said,  in  agreement  with 
the  whole  testimony  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  that  as  Jehovah, 
by  his  advent  into  the  world,  being  God,  made  himself  Man,  so 
Jesus,  by  his  return  to  his  own  divine  essence,  from  which  he 
came  forth,  being  Man,  made  himself  God. 


[97.]  John  xi.  25,  26.  <'  Jesus  said,  lam  the  resurrection  and 
'■'  the  life:  he  that  believeth  in  7»ie, though  he  were  dead, yet  shall 
'•  he  live  ;  and  whosoever  liveth,  and  believeth  in  me,  shall  never 
"  die.    Believest  thou  this  .^"  / 


If  Jesus  be  not  the  Supreme  God,  how  can  he  be  called  the  re- 
surrection, and  the  life  9  Can  any  mere  man,  can  any  mere 
creature,  by  his  own  power,  raise  the  dead,  either  naturally  or 
spiritually  speaking  ^     Or  can  any  such  being  in  truth  claim  to 

himself  so  divine  a  character,  as  that  of  possessing' possessing 

did  we  say  ? nay,  of  being  personally  and  essentially  the  life 

itself? 

Again,  can  faith  in  a  mere  man  or  a  mere  angel  quicken  and 
immortalize  any  one  rational  soul  in  existence  ?  Yet  this  effect 
is  produced  on  all  without  exception,  who  make  Jesus  the  sole 
Object  of  their  faitli  and  love.    He  therefore,  and  He  alum,  must 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITAIIIANS,  &c.  223 

be  the  One  Supreme  God,  the  fountain  of  all  life.  Unitarian,  Tri- 
nitarian, Catholic,  Protestant,  Calvinist,  Arminian,  Churchman, 
Dissenter,  or  whatever  else  be  thy  name,  the  Lord  himself  put$ 
the  question,  "  Believest  thou  this  ?" 


[98.]  John  xi.  52.     Mary  said  unto  Jesus,  «  Lord,  if  thou 
''  hadst  been  here,  my  brother  had  not  diedJ'^ 


Compare  this  with  the  preceding  article,  and  observe  the 
ap-reement  of  both.  In  the  one,  Jesus  is  declared  to  be  life  it- 
self;  in  the  other,  his  presence  alone  is  represented  as  a  security 
against  death.  This  indeed  is  intelligible  language,  while  we  con- 
sider him  to  be  (like  the  sun  in  the  firmament,  which  refreshes 
all  nature  with  it's  presence,)  the  one  only  source  of  spiritual 
life  to  all  his  intelligent  creatures,  who  acknowledge  and  approach 
him  alone  as  their  Saviour,  their  Father,  and  their  God.  But  ne- 
ver can  it  be  reconciled  to  our  common  reason,  much  less  to  the 
true  sense  of  divine  revelation,  that  the  presence  of  a  mere  man, 
or  a  mere  creature  of  any  description,  can  produce  sach  an  asto- 
nishing effect,  as  that  which  is  here  ascribed  to  the  presence  of 
Jesus. 


[99.]  John  xi.  43, 44.  When  Jesus  came  to  the  grave,  where 
"  Lazarus  was  lying,  "  he  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  Lazarus, 
"  come  forth.  And  he  that  was  dead  came  forth,  bound  hand  and 
♦'  foot  with  rrrave-clothes," 


It  is  very  observable,  that  in  all  the  miracles,  which  Jesus  per- 
formed, he  acted  even  apparently,  as  well  as  in  reality,  upon  his 
own  authority,  and  by  his  own  power  ;  never  once  praying  for 
assistance  to  any  superior  being  distinct  from  himself,  to  enable 
him  to  perform  the  works,  as  might  reasonably  be  expected,  M'ere 
he  no  more  than  a  mere  man.     How  different  was  the  case  with 


224  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

Ins  disciples,  who  received  tlieir  commission  and  their  power 
from  Jesus,  and  never  once  refused  to  acknowledge,  but  on  the 
contrary  were  eager  to  proclaim,  him  alone  as  the  source,  from 
whom  thej  derived  both  ! 

It  is  true,  that  Jesus  on  the  present  occasion,  as  stated  in  ver. 
41,  42,  "lifted  up  his  eyes,  and  said.  Father,  I  thank  thee,  that 
''  thou  hast  heard  me  ;  and  I  knew  that  thou  heavest  me  always.''* 
But  it  does  not  hence  follow,  that  the  Father,  whom  he  addres- 
sed, was  any  being  or  person  out  of  and  different  from  himself ; 
for  he  says  in  the  same  place,  that  he  used  such  language  (not 
on  his  own  account,  or  because  it  was  necessary  for  him  to  call 
for  extraneous  assistance,  but)  because  of  the  people  who  stood  by, 
that  they  might  believe  that  he  acted  from  the  Father,  or  the  di- 
vine essence  :  of  whom,  or  of  which,  he  elsewhere  says,  "  He  that 
"  sent  me,  is  ivith  me  :  the  Father  hath  not  left  me  alone,^^  John 
viii.  29.  And  again,  "  The  Father,  that  dwelleth  in  me,  he  doth  the 
works,"  John  xiv.  10.  But  most  expressly  of  all,  "  /  and  the  Fa- 
"  </icr  are  One,"  John  X.  30.  When,  therefore,  he  thanked  the 
Father  for  having  heard  him,  even  before  he  attempted  to  raise 
the  dead,  he  spake  with  all  the  confidence  arising  from  a  conscious- 
ness within  himself,  that  the  divine  omnipotence,  which  lodged 
within  him, not  as  another^s,hni  as  his  oicn,  was  a1)out  to  be  exerted 
fey  him.  For  the  same  power,  the  same  life,  which  belonged  to  the 
Father,  or  to  the  Divine  Essence,  belonged  equally  to  the  Son,  or 
to  the  Divine  Humanity,  according  to  the  degree  in  which  they 
were  united  :  and  hence  it  is  written,  that  "  as  the  Father  raiseth 
«  up  the  dead,  and  quickeneth  them,  even  so  the  Son  quickeneth 
f^^  whom  he  will,''^  John  v.  21.  From  all  which  considerations  it 
follows,  that,  as  Jesus  possessed  in  himself  the  power  of  raising 
the  dead  to  life,  w'hich  is  a  power  characteristic  of  Deity  alone,  he 
^nust  have  been  a  Divine  Man,  or  in  other  words,  God  Himself 
IN  Human  Form. 


[100.]  John  xii.  32.    '•  And  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up  from  the  earth, 
Mill  draw  all  men  unto  »ic.*' 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  S^5 

To  be  lifted  up  from  the  earth,  according  to  the  mere  literal 
sense,  is  to  be  elevated  on  the  cross  ;  and  many  seek  for  no  higher 
interpretation  of  the  words.  But  the  subject  is  capable  of  a  more 
interior  view.  In  the  first  sense,  an  idea  is  presented  of  the  mere 
humanity  of  Jesus,  about  to  suffer  the  indignity  as  well  as  the 
pains  of  crucifixion  :  while  in  the  latter  sense,  his  glorification, 
or  union  with  the  Father,  which  is  the  same  thing  as  his  return 
into  his  own  divine  essence,  is  most  evidently  alluded  to,  as  that 
great  event,  which  was  to  give  character  to  all  his  future  opera- 
tions upon  tlie  men  of  the  church.  "  If  I  be  lifted  up  from  the 
*'  earth,^^  says  he,  "  I  will  draw  all  men  unto  me ;"  that  is-,  If, 
"  instead  of  the  earthly  form,  the  material  and  infirm  humanity,  I 
«  put  on  the  heavenly  and  divine  form  ;  and  If  I  be  heareafter  ac- 
"  knowledged  by  the  church  as  One  with  Jehovah  the  Father 
"  himself;  I  shall  then,  as  such,  become  the  sole  Object  of  their 
"  love  and  adoration ;  because  it  will  then  be  seen  and  under- 
"  stood,  that  as  "  no  man  can  come  to  me  (the  divine  truth,)  es- 
"  cept  the  Father  (the  divine  love)  draw  him,^^  John  vi.  44,  so 
"  when  I  shall  have  invested  myself  with  the  entire  character  of 
*'  supreme  Deity,  by  ascending  into  all  the  fulness  of  infinite  love, 
"  I  will  then,  as  the  Father  of  my  children,  draw  them  alt  unto 
<'  myself.  Then  also  will  be  fulfilled  the  words,  which  I  spake 
"  by  the  prophets  in  ancient  times,  "  t  drew  them  with  the  cords 
"  of  a  Man,  with  bands  of  love,^'  Hos.  xi.  4.  "  Yea,  I  have  loved 
<»  thee  with  an  everlasting  love :  therefore  with  loving^kindness 
"  have  I  drawn  thee^^^  Jer.  xxxi.  Q. 

It  is  then  the  prerogative  of  Jehovah  the  Father  by  his  divine 
love  to  draw  men  to  himself:  and  it  is  also  the  prerogative  of  Je- 
sus to  do  the  same.  But  as  there  cannot  be  two  separate  centres 
of  attraction  either  in  heaven  or  in  the  church,  it  follows,  not- 
withstanding the  difference  of  names,  that  Jesus  and  Jehovah 
the  Father  must  still  be  one  and  the  same  fountain  of  divine  love, 
and  consequently  one  and  the  same  Supreme  God  of  the  uni- 
verse. 


Ff 


22&  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

[101.]  John  xii.  37,  38.  "  But  though  he  had  done  so  many 
'' miracles  before  them,  yet  they  believed  not  on  him:  that  the 
"  saying  of  Esaias  the  prophet  might  be  fulfilled,  which  he  spake, 
"  Lord,  who  hath  believed  our  report  ?  and  to  whom  hath  the  arm 
"  oj  the  Lord  been  revealed  'P^ 


-  It  is  here  stated,  that  the  Jews  did  not  believe  on  Jesus,  not- 
withstanding the  many  miracles,  which  he  had  wrought  before 

them. Did  not  believe  him  to  be what .''  a  mere  man  ?  O 

yes  ;  they  believed  him  to  be  even  a  great  and  wonderful  man, 
capable,  by  some  means  or  other,  of  performing  the  most  aston- 
ishing miracles.*  But  they  believed  him  not  to  be  what  he  really 
was — the  very  arm  or  power  o/' Jehovah,  that  is,  the  manifested 
form  of  Divinity.  Therefore  Isaiali's  prophecy  is  quoted,  as  be- 
ing then  fulfilled,  "  Who  hath  believed  our  report  ?  and  to  whom 
"hath  the  arm  of  the  Lord  (Jehovah)  been  revealed ?^^  Isa. 
liii.  1. 

May  not  the  same  question  be  put  in  the  present  day  ?  Who 
now  believes  him  to  be  Jehovah  Himself  vested  with  the  omni- 
potence, because  clothed  in  the  Humanity,  and  thereby  travel- 
ling in  the  greatness  of  his  strenglh,  mighty  to  save,  without  de- 
stroying the  creature  ?  Can  that  be  called  faith  in  him,  which 
forbids  the  ivorship  of  him?  Yet  such  was  the  faith  of  Jews  ;  and 
such  is  the  faith  of  modern  Unitarians.  Well  then  did  Isaiah 
prophesy  of  both,  and  of  all  others,  who,  by  reason  of  the  Huma- 
nity of  Jesus,  cannot  discern  his  exclusive  Divinity  :  "  Go  and 
"  tell  this  people.  Hear  ye  indeed,  but  understand  not;  and  see 
"  ye  indeed,  but  perceive  not.  Make  the  heart  of  this  people  fat, 
"'  and  make  their  ears  heavy,  and  shut  their  eyes ;  lest  they  see 

*  It  is  a  tradition  among'  the  Jewish  Rabbins,  that  Jesus  Chiiist  perform- 
ed his  miracles  by  means  of  what  they  call  the  Shem-hamphorash,  or  the  J\,'ame 
separated,  sacred,  and  expounded,  viz.  by  other  names ;  the  Tetragrammaton, 
or  Name  with  four  letters  in  the  orig^inal ;  by  which  is  meant  the  Name 
JcHoYaH.    They  report  also,  that  Moses  performed  his  miracles  in  Eg)-pt 

12     3     4 

by  the  same  great  and  glorious  Name,  as  well  as  by  the  Name  I  Am  that  I 
Am,  en- 1  Win  be  that  I  Win,  be,  Exod.  iii.  14. 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  237 

'•  with  their  eyes,  and  hear  with  their  ears,  and  understand  with 
«  their  heart,  and  convert,  and  be  healed,"  Isa.  vi.  9,  10.  To 
have  a  fat  heart,  a  heavy  ear,  and  a  blind  eye,  is  to  be  destitute 
of  all  spiritual  love,  of  all  spiritual  charity  and  faith,  and  at  the 
same  time  of  all  genuine  rationality  or  perception  of  truth,  in 
regard  to  the  person  and  character  of  Jesus  ;  and  this  notwith- 
standing all  the  learning,  the  science,  and  the  wisdom,  which  are 
derived  either  from  study,  or  from  the  mere  light  of  nature.  For 
human  acquisitions  of  learning  and  science,  though  highly  useful 
in  their  place,  as  means  subservient  to  spiritual  truth,  in  the  way 
of  confirmation  and  propagation,  after  it  is  once  received  from 
above,  can  yet  never  give  it,  because  of  themselves  they  neither 
possess  it,  nor  can  generate  it  in  the  mind  of  a  single  individual. 
Hence  it  is  written,  that  the  true  knowledge  of  divine  things  is 
"  hid  from  the  wise  and  the  prudent,  and  revealed  only  to  babes," 
Matt.  xi.  25  ;  that  is,  to  those,  who  in  humility  acknowledge,  that 
they  "  can  receive  nothing,  except  it  be  given  them  from  heaven," 
John  iii.  27. 


[102.]  John  xii.  44,  45.  "  Jesus  cried,  and  said.  He  that  be- 
"  lieveth  on  me,  believeth  not  on  me,  but  on  him  that  sent  me.  And 
-"  he  that  seeth  me.  seeth  him  that  sent  7)ie." 


As  Jesus  came  into  the  world  in  the  character  of  divine  truth, 
divine  wisdom,  or  divine  light,  which  proceeds  from  divine  good, 
divine  love,  or  divine  fire  ;  and  as  such  procession  is  in  the  Sa- 
cred Scripture  understood  by  being  sent  into  the  world  ;  and  as 
moreover  the  divine  truth  and  the  divine  good,  when  personified, 
are  distinguished,  tlie  one  by  the  term  Son,  and  the  other  by  the 
term  Father,  when  yet  they  are  no  more  actually  separated,  than 
the  light  of  tiie  sun  is  from  the  sun  itself,  or  than  the  body  is  from 
the  soul  of  a  living  man  ;  we  may  hence  perceive  the  true  ground 
and  reason  why  the  Lord  so  frequently  speaks  of  his  being  setit 
by  the  Father ;  and  why  also  he  says,  that  faith  in  him  is  not  to  be 
considered  merely  as  faith  in  the  truth,  in  the  light,  in  the  Son,  or  in 


228  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

the  Humanity,  but  at  the  same  time  and  chiefly  as  faith  in  the  su- 
preme good,  in  the  infinite  love,  in  the  Father  Jehovah,  or  in  the 
Essential  Divinity,  manifested  in  the  Humanity^  and  constituting 
the  all  in  all  both  of  it's  interior  essence,  and  of  it's  exterior  form. 
Thus  he  teaches  us,  that  our  sight,  our  faith,  our  love,  and  our 
adoration,  ought  to  be  directed  solely  to  his  Divine  Humanity, 
because  therein  alone  centre  and  are  for  ever  incorporated  all  the 
attributes,  powers,  and  perfections  of  the  pure  Divinity. 

Lender  this  view  of  the  subject,  how  easy  is  it  to  discern  our 
Lord's  meaning,  when  he  says,  "  He  that  believeth  on  tup,  believ- 
*'  eth  not  on  me,  but  on  him.  that  sent  me  ;"  being  as  much  as  to 
say.  He  believeth  not  on  me  separately  from  the  Father,  but  on 
the  Father  also  at  the  same  time :  for  which  reason  he  immediate- 
ly adds,  "  And  he  that  seeth  me,  seeth  him  that  sent  me."  To 
the  same  purport  is  the  following  declaration,  "  If  ye  had  known 
"  me,  ye  would  have  known  my  Father  also  :  and  from  henceforth 
^^  ye  know  him,  a.nd  have  seen  him, ^^  John  xii.  7;  evidently  im- 
plying, that  he  himself  is  the  Father,  as  well  as  the  Son,  tliough 
in  a  different  relation  and  respect;  the  Father  denoting  the  all  of 
Deity,  which,  like  the  human  soul,  is  of  itself  invisible  ;  and  the 
Son  denoting  the  all  of  Deity,  which,  like  the  human  body,  is  vi- 
sible and  manifest  to  the  beholder. 

To  the  above  may  be  added  another  consideration,  in  like  man- 
ner explanatory  of  the  words  of  Jesus,  and  illustrative  of  the 
doctrine  advanced  in  these  pages.  As  Jesus  possessed  an  inte- 
rior Humanity  derived  from  the  Father,  which  is  properly  called 
the  Divine  Humanity,  and  also  an  e.vterior  humanity  derived 
from  the  mother,  which  is  properly  called  the  infirm  humanity  ; 
and  as  he  was  constantly  but  gradually  divesting  himself  of  this 
latter,  that  he  might  at  lengtli  be  fully  and  wholly  in  the  former ; 
it  appears  to  be  agreeable  to  the  divine  wisdom,  that  we  should 
be  instructed  how  to  regard  the  infirm  humanity,  while  we  are 
directing  our  faith  and  our  worship  to  him  as  a  Divine  Man. 

Our  thoughts,  affections,  and  devotions,  on  such  occasions,  are 
not  to  embrace,  for  their  object,  a  mere  humanity  like  our  own, 
subject  to  infirmities,  necessities,  and  imperfeclions  ef  every  de- 
scription ;  a  gross  body  composed  of  material   substances,  anti 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  229 

therefore  finited  and  limited  in  every  state  and  condition  of  it's 
existence  :  for  such  a  body  cannot  possibly  support  any  one  of 
the  characters  of  infinity ;  it  cannot,  for  instance,  be  omnipresent 
even  in  the  natural  world,  and  still  less  so  in  the  spiritual  world^ 
v/hich  no  material  substance  can  in  any  wise  enter:  and  conse- 
quently prayers  and  addresses  to  such  a  human  form,  from  mil- 
lions of  intelligent  creatures  in  both  worlds  at  the  same  time,  and 
in  all  successive  times,  must  in  the  nature  of  things  be  utterly  un- 
available and  useless. 

Faith,  therefore,  in  Jesus  Christ,  is  not  a  faith  that  admits 
into  it's  contemplation  a  form  or  object  in  any  respect  subject  to 
the  infirmities  and  imperfections  above  described  :  but  it  regards 
him,  both  as  to  essence  and  to  person,  as  infinitely  superior  to 
every  created  form  or  substance,  yet  infinitely  present  in  them 
all,  without  however  in  the  smallest  degree  commixing  himself 
with  them,  or  identifying  himself  as  any  part  or  property  of  mere 
nature.  Thus  a  true  and  genuine  faith  in  him,  agreeable  to  the 
true  meaning  of  our  Lord's  words,  sets  him  high  above  the  crea- 
ture, and  recognizes  him  in  no  other  character,  than  as  the  Su^ 
PREME  God  Himself  in  Human  Form. 

How  different  is  such  a  view  of  the  Saviour,  his  divine  person 
and  character,  from  that  which  both  Unitarians  and  Trinitarians 
entertain !  While  the  former  regard  him  in  all  respects  as  a 
mere  man  like  themselves,  and  thus  openly  reject  every  idea  of 
his  divinity  ;  the  latter  allow  him  to  move  in  a  somewhat  higher 
sphere,  not  indeed  as  to  his  human  nature,  for  this  they  view  pre- 
cisely in  the  same  light  as  Unitarians  do,  but  as  to  what  they  call 
his  divine  nature  ;  and  even  this  they  only  deal  out  to  him  hy 
measure,  reserving  the  remainder  of  divinity  for  two  other  per- 
sons, whom  they  suppose  equally  entitled  to  their  respective 
shares !  From  this  scheme  of  their's  it  results,  that  our  Lord  has 
actually  two  persons! .' — one,  which  they  say  is  divine,  (as  they 
calculate  divinity,)  having  existed  together  with  the  Father  and 
the  Holy  Ghost  from  all  eternity;  and  the  other  merely  human, 
born  in  time,  crucified,  dead  and  buried,  and  at  length  raised  from 
the  dead,  and  now  seated,  even  as  a  material  body,  having  ordi- 
nary flesh  and  blood,  at  the  right  iiand  of  God,  in  some  local  si- 


250  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

tuation  of  the  universe,  unknown  to  them  and  to  all  the  rest  of 
the  world  ! ! ! 

Reader,  (can  you  believe  it  ?)  this  is  the  Jesus  Christ  of  mo- 
dern professors,  but  not  the  Jesus  Christ  of  primitive  believ- 
ers, not  the  Jesus  Christ  of  the  New  Testament.  This  is  the 
imaginary  being,  to  one  of  whose  supposed  persons  they  now  and 
then  direct  tlieir  prayers,  when  they  can  steal  a  moment  from  the 
worship  of  one  or  two  other  equally  imaginary  semi-  or  demi- 
gods!! In  short,  this  is  i\mt  false  Christ,  or  at  least  one  of  those 
false  Christs,  concerning  whom  our  blessed  Lord  so  plainly  fore- 
warns us,  and  upon  whom  he  gives  us  so  strict  an  admonition  not 
to  squander  away  either  our  faith  or  our  time.* 

Speaking  of  the  present  identical  times,  in  which  we  now  live, 
including  also  those  in  which  our  fathers  have  lived,  when  the 
abomination  of  desolation,  spoken  of  by  the  prophet  Daniel,  should 
stand  in  the  holy  place  (the  church,)  and  when  the  Son  of  Man 
should  be  on  the  point  of  making  his  appearance  in  the  clouds  of 
heaven,  Jesus  said  to  his  disciples,  "  Take  heed  that  no  man  de- 
'^'  ceive  you :  for  many  sliall  come  in  my  name,  saying,  I  am 
"  Christ;  and  shall  deceive  many.  Then  if  any  man  shall  say 
"  unto  you,  Lo,  here  is  Christ,  or  there  ;  believe  it  not.  For 
*'  there  shall  arise /a/se  Christssmd  false  prophets,  a.nd  shall  shew 
"  great  signs  and  wonders,  insomuch  that  (if  it  were  possible) 
*'  they  shall  deceive  the  very  elect.  Behold,  I  have  told  you  be- 
"  fore."     Matt,  xxiv.  4,  5,  23  to  25. 

It  appears,  then,  that  a.  false  Christ  maybe  imposed  upon  man- 
kind, instead  of  the  trtie  one  ;  and  that  there  is  some  danger  of 
being  deceived  by  those  wlio  profess  to  speak  in  the  name  of  the 
true  Christ,  and  yet  know  not  where  he  is  to  be  found ;  assign- 
ing one  unknown  place  in  the  spiritual  world  for  his  Divinity, 
^nd  another  unknown  place  in  the  natural  world  for  his  Humani- 
ty j  thus  rending  asunder  what  ought  to  be  for  ever  united,  be- 
sides localizing,  degrading,  and  e,riling  that  Glorified  Body,  in 
which  the  Saviour  rose  from  the  dead,  and  which  as  an  Omnipo- 

*  Here  the  reader  is  requested  to  turn  to  Emanuel  SweJenborg's  Arcana 
Ccelestia,  n.  3010,  3^33. 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  231 

Unt,  Omnipresent,  and  Divine  Body,  forms  the  only  proper  Ob- 
ject of  all  Christian  worship.  This  latter,  and  not  the  former,  is 
the  true  Christ,  the  true  Jesus  Christ  of  the  New  Testament, 
whose  Essential  Divinity  is  called  the  Father,  whose  Divine  Hu- 
manity is  called  the  Son,  and  whose  proceeding  influence  or  ope- 
ration is  called  the  Holy  Spirit ;  all  united  as  One  God  in  One 
Divine  Person,  blessed  for  ever  and  ever. 


[103.]  John  xiii.  13.     "  Ye  call  me  Master,  and  Lord:  and 

*'  ye  say  well ;  for  so  I  am.^* 


A  Master  is  one  who  teaches  or  communicates  truth  to  the 
ignorant ;  and  thereby  rules  or  governs  those,  over  whom  he  pre- 
sides :  hence,  in  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  word,  it  denotes  God, 
who  is  the  only  source  and  fountain  of  all  wisdom,  and  who  go- 
verns his  people  by  the  laws  of  divine  truth.     But  by  the  term 
Lord  we  understand  one,  who  exercises  dominion  over  his  ser- 
vants from  another  and  superior  principle,  namely,  because  he  is 
the  rightful  owner  of  the  territory  which  they  occupy,  and  because 
he  defends,  protects,  and  supports  them  with  all  the  kindness  and 
love  of  a  Parent.     In  the  supreme  sense  of  the  expression,  there- 
fore, it  characterizes  him,  who  is  entitled  to  the  name,  as  the  sole 
Proprietor  of  the  vast  territory  of  creation,  the  Possessor  and 
consequently  the  Maker  of  heaven  and  earth,  the  Defender,  Pro- 
tector, and  Supporter  of  all  his  rational  offspring.     Thus  it  im- 
plies, not  only  that  he  is  the  great  Author  and  Preserver  of  all 
being,  but  also  that  he  exercises  the  dominion  of  love,  mercy,  and 
compassion,  over  all  the  works  of  his  hands  :  and  hence  it  may 
be  truly  considered  as  one  of  the  highest  and  dearest  relations,  ia 
which  he  stands  towards  his  creatures- 
It  may  be  proper  again  to  repeat,  what  we  have  before  observ- 
ed, that  in  the  New  Testament  the  term  Lord  is  evidently  sub- 
stituted instead  of  the  term  Jehovah,  so  often  used  in  the  Old 
Testament  j  and  consequently  that  it  involves  the  same  significa- 
tion.    It  further  appears,  from  an  attentive  examination  of  the 


2S£  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

Sacred  Scriptures  throughout,  that  both  terms,  as  also  tlie  name 
Jesus,  have  an  especial  reference  to  the  divine  attribute  of  love^ 
mercy,  a-iid  goodness ;  while  the  terms  God,  Master,  Chuist, 
Messiah,  Anointed,  King,  &c.  more  particularly  point  out  the 
divine  wisdom  or  divine  truth  of  the  one  undivided  Being,  in 
whom  all  the  perfections  of  Deity  centre. 

Such  then  being  the  true  import  of  the  appellations  Lord  and 
Master,  and  Jesus  himself  having  expressly  sanctioned  and  ap- 
proved of  the  conduct  of  the  disciples  in  applying  them  to  him, 
it  follows,  that  whether  with  Moses  and  the  Prophets  we  make 
mention  of  Jehovah,  or  with  the  Evangelists,  of  the  Lord,  still 
one  and  the  same  God  is  invariably  understood,  who  is  no  other 
than  our  adorable  Saviour  Jesus  Christ.  On  this  account  he 
also  charges  his  disciples  to  acknowledge,  in  spiritual  things,  no 
'.Iaster  but  himself,  nor  any  other  Father  (a  name  tantamount 
to  Lord)  but  him  who  is  in  heaven,  they  being  among  themselves 
all  brethren,  Matt,  xxiii.  8  to  10. 


[104.]  John  xiv.  1.  "  Let  not  your  heart  be  troubled  :  ye  be- 
*•  lieve  in  God,  believe  also  in  me  ;"  or  rather,  as  it  ought  to  have 
been  rendered,  "  believe  in  God,  believe  also  in  me."* 


*  The  original  will  admit  of  being  translated  either  way :  but  that  the 
corrected  form  is  the  true  reading  in  this  place,  may  be  confirmed  by  this 
consideration,  that  the  Jews,  from  among  whom  Jesus  chose  his  disciples, 
and  even  the  disciples  themselves,  until  they  were  better  instructed,  did  not 
believe  in  God,  that  is  to  say,  not  in  the  true  God,-  neither  did  they  know  him: 
for  our  Lord  abundantly  teaches,  that  no  man  can  have  access  to  the  Father 
Or  naked  Divinity,  so  as  either  to  have  faith  in  him,  or  to  worship  him,  ex- 
cept in  and  through  the  medium  of  himself  ov  ihe  Humanity.  "  I  am  (says  he) 
"  the  way,  and  the  truth,  and  the  life :  no  man  cometh  unto  the  Father,  but 
"  by  me.  If  ye  had  known  me,  ye  would  have  known  my  Father  also,  who 
'•  dwellethinme,"  John  xiv.  6, 7,  10.  "  It  is  my  Father  that  honoureth  me,  of 
"  whom  j/e  say,  that  he  is  your  God:  yet  ye  have  not  hno7on  him,"  chap.  viii. 
54,  55.  "  I  am  the  door:  by  me  if  any  man  enter  in,  he  shall  be  saved,"  chap. 
X.  9.    Whosoever  therefore  is  in  the  habit  of  directing,  or  rather  of  attempt- 


UNITARIANS,  TRINl'lARIANS,  &c.  233 

It  must  be  evident  to  every  reflecting  mind,  that  throughout 
the  Scriptures  of  the  New  Testament  faith  in  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  is  inculcated,  and  most  urgently  insisted  upon,  as  an  es- 
sential condition  of  eternal  life  ;  nay,  that  it  is  as  essential  to  our 
future  happiness  and  well-being,  as  any  faith  in,  or  worship  of, 
that  Supreme  Power,  who  in  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  Testament 
is  described  as  Jehovah,  the  Creator  of  all  worlds,  the  great 
fountain  of  all  being,  the  alone  God  of  the  universe.  Accordingly 
it  is  written,  "  He  that  believeth  on  the  (Son,"  that  is,  on  Jesus 
Christ,  who  appeared  in  the  world  as  the  Son  of  God,  "  hath 
"  everlasting  life  :  and  he  that  believeth  not  the  Son,  shall  not 
"  see  life ;  but  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  on  him,"  John  iii.  36. 
Again,  Jesus  said,  "  I  am  the  resurrection,  and  the  life  :  he  that 
"  believeth  in  me,  though  he  were  dead,  yet  shall  he  live.  And 
"  whosoever  liveth,  and  believeth  in  me,  shall  never  die,"  John 
■xi.  25,  26.  To  which  may  be  added  this  further  passage,  con- 
tained in  an  address  of  Jesus  to  the  Father,  or  of  the  Humanity 
to  the  Divinity:  "  This  is  life  eternal,  that  they  might  know  thee 
"  the  only  true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ,  whom  thou  hast  sent," 
Jphn  xvii.  3. 

In  agreement  with  these  and  similar  passages  of  the  Sacred 
Writings  are  the  words  of  our  Lord  above  quoted,  "  Believe  in 
"  God,  believe  also  in  me ;"  that  is,  "  Believe  in  the  divine  es- 
'•  sence,  believe  also  in  the  divine  form  ;  believe  in  an  invisible 
''  Creator,  believe  also  in  a  visible  Redeemer ;  and  henceforth 
"  learn,  that  a  saving  faith  consists  in  knowing,  in  loving,  and  in 
"  worshipping  me  as  the  only  God  of  heaven  and  earth,  as  Crea- 
"  tor  from  eternity,  Redeemer  in  time,  and  Regenerator  for 
<'  evermore." 


ing  to  direct,  his  worship  to  any  unknown,  unrevealed,  unmanifested  Being 
out  of  and  different  from  Jesus  Christ  himself,  must  submit  to  be  informed, 
that  neither  his  worship,  nor  the  faith  that  instigates  to  it,  bears  any  thing  of 
the  character  of  true  and  genuine  Christianity;  and  therefore,  like  the  Jew- 
ish disciples  of  old,  he  still  stands  in  need  of  the  injunction  and  exhortation 
of  oiu"  Lord,  "  Believe  in  God,  believe  also  in  me." 

Gg 


034  A  SiEAL  UPON  THE  LlFS  OF 

For  one  raoinent  only  let  it  be  supposed,  (though  it  must  Uc 
allowed,  that  the.  supposition  is  truly  ridiculous  and  absurd,)  thai 
Jesus  was  a  mere  inan.  Then  it  will  follow,  that  we  are  called 
upon  to  exercise  our  laith  in  a  mere  creature,  in  a  very  ivorm  nf 
f/('e  ^«rf//,  conjointly  with  the  i^-rcaf:  God  of  the  universe  J  But 
what  can  a  mere  man  do  for  ns  ?  What  can  he  do  for  himself? 
To  what  purpose  must  our  faitli  be  directed  to  one,  who,  as  a 
finite,  dependent  creature,  is  cquall}'  helpless  with  ourselves  ? 
How  can  such  an  one  redress  the  wants,  or  chace  the  sorrows,  or 
fill  with  the  balm  of  consolation  and  celestial  happiness  the  hearts, 
of  millions  of  intelligent  beings,  nay  of  the  whole  human  race,  in 
every  succeeding  age  of  their  existence  ?  O  Unitarian !  Unita- 
rian !  either  dash  out  from  the  Sacred  Volume  all  those  claims  to 
our  faith,  our  love,  our  adoration,  which  the  Son  of  God  and  Son 
of  Man  so  incessantly  makes,  or  else,  break  up  at  once  the  flinty 
texture  of  your  heart,  and  yield  to  the  Saviour  those  divine  ho- 
nours, to  which  he  is  so  justly  entitled.  You  profess  to  believe 
in  God:  you  are  equally  bound  to  believe  in  Jksus;  the  in- 
junction being  precisely  the  same  in  one  case,  as  in  the  other. 

If  now  it  be  as  necessary  to  believe  in  Jesus^  as  to  believe  in 
God,  then  surely  he  must  be  more  than  a  mere  man,  more  than  a 
mere  angel ;  nay,  he  must  be  nothing  short  of  a  Divine  and  Owi- 
nipotent  Being.  But  there  cannot,  in  the  nature  of  things,  be  two 
such  Beings,  to  divide  between  them  tlie  faith  and  the  love,  that 
is,  the  understandings  and  the  hearts,  of  intelligent  creation. 
There  must,  therefore,  be  some  way  of  explaining  what  at  first 
sight  may  appear  so  unaccountable  to  human  reason ;  there 
must  be  some  way  of  reconciling  the  duty  imposed  upon  us  of 
directing  our  faith  to  Jesus,  with  the  duty,  which  can  never  be 
suffered  to  relax,  out  of  any  deference  to  another,  of  loving  God 
\yith  all  our  heart,  and  all  our  soul,  and  all  our  mind,  and  all  our 
strength,  thus  of  directing  all  our  faith  to  him  alone. 

Sift  and  probe  the  subject  to  the  bottom ;  look  at  it  in  every 
possible  direction  ;  and  it  will  at  last  be  found,  that  in  no  other 
way  can  the  necessity  of  this  (apparently)  double  if  not  contradic- 
tory  duty  be  justified,  than  in  considering,  as  we  have  already 
repeatedly  shewn,  that  by  the  term  God  is  meant  the  divine  es- 


UNITARIAN^?,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  235 

sence,  and  by  the  term  Jesus  the  divine  form :  in  which  point  of 
view  faith  in  God,  and  at  the  same  tune  faith  in  Jesus,  are  both 
perceived  to  be  perfectly  reconcileable  to  our  best  reason,  as  well 
as  to  the  true  and  genuine  sense  of  Sacred  Scripture.  Thus  to 
believe  in  God,  and  also  in  Jesus,  is  simply  to  believe  in  God 
MANIFESTED  IN  THE  Flesh,  or  in  Jehovah  as  a  Divine  Man; 
wliich  also  is  the  great  cud  of  all  revelation. 


[lOo.j  John  xiv.   6.     "Jesus  saith,  I  am  the  wrty,  and  the 
'■'truth,  and  the  life:  no  man  cometh  unto  the  Father,  6i(i  6?/ ?»ie." 


Here  Jesus  declares  himself  to  be  the  ivay^  that  is,  the  medium 
of  access  to  the  Father,  just  as  the  visible  body  is  the  medium  of 
access  to  the  invisible  soul.  No  man  then  can  approach  the  Fa- 
ther, either  in  the  way  of  thought,  or  affection,  or  prayer,  or  wor- 
ship, unless  at  the  same  time  he  think  of,  love,  pray  to,  and  wor- 
ship, Jesus  himself:  but  by  so  doing  he  gains  access  to  the  di- 
vine essence  called  the  Father,  which  dwells  in  Jesus,  as  the  soul 
of  a  man  dwells  in  his  body,  John  xiv.  10. 

Again,  Jesus  is  the  truth  itself,  or  uisdom  itself,  or  the  TVord 
itself.  Now  this  is  declared,  in  John  i.  1,  not  only  to  be  with 
God,  but  even  to  be  God  ;  and  it  is  added,  ver.  14,  that  the  Word 
was  made^es/^,  or  in  other  words,  that  it  became  a  Man.  Truth 
also  is  light  ;  on  which  account  Jesus  is  called  "  the  true  light, 
"  which  lighteth  every  man  that  cometh  into  the  world,"  ver.  9  : 
and  to  this  effect  he  testifies  of  himself,  saying,  •'  I  am  the  light 
"  of  the  world,"  John  viii.  12. 

But  not  only  is  Jesus  the  ivay^  or  medium  of  access  to  the  Fa- 
ther, and  the  light,  or  truth  itself,  that  is,  the  fountain  of  all  wis- 
dom ;  but  he  is  also  the  life  itself,  and  consequently  the  source  of 
all  being;  which  is  the  very  character  of  the  Supreme  God,  call- 
ed the  Father.  Jesus  the  Son  of  God  is,  therefore,  as  much  and 
as  truly  God,  as  the  Father  himself  is  :  "  for  as  the  Father  ha.i\\ 
"'•  life  in  himself,  so  hath  he  given  to  the  Son  to  have  life  in  him- 
"  ■'^•"(A"  John   v.  f^6.     Novv'  to  have  life  in  himself,  is  to  be  jn- 


236  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

debted  to  no  other  being  for  it :  in  sliort,  it  is  to  be  what  we 
solemnly,  emphatically,  and  in  the  highest  sense  of  the  word,  call 
God. 

The  doctrine  here  advanced  is  indeed  grand,  and  pre-eminent- 
ly sublime.  But  whose  doctrine  is  it  t  who  was  it  that  first  an- 
nounced it  to  an  astonished  world  .►*  and,  after  holding  it  up  to  the 
admiration  of  saints  and  angels,  (see  Jude  3 ;  1  Pet.  i.  12.)  now 
again  proclaims  it  as  the  new  and  "  everlasting  gospel,  which  must 
"  be  preached  unto  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth,  and  to  every 
"  nation,  and  kindred,  and  tongue,  and  people  .'*"  Apoc.  xiv.  6. 
Too  high  to  owe  it's  origin  to  any  of  the  mere  earth-born  sons  of 
nature,  the  doctrine  acknowledges  no  other  author,  than  the  God 
of  heaven  himself,  the  great  Personage,  wlio  is  the  subject  of  his 
own  discourse,  and  who,  in  a  nameless  variety  of  forms,  teaches 
us  how  to  approach,  how  to  contemplate,  and  how  to  love  him. 


[106.]  John  xiv.  7  to  9.  Jesus  said  unto  his  disciples,  "  If  ye 
"  had  known  Me,  ye  would  have  known  my  Father  also  :  and  from 
"  henceforth  ye  know  him,  and  have  seen  him.  Philip  saith  unto 
"  him,  Lord,  shew  us  the  Father,  and  itsufficeth  us.  Jesus  saith 
"  unto  him.  Have  /been  so  long  time  with  you,  and  yet  hastthoa 
"  not  known  Me,  Philip  ?  He  that  hath  seen  Me,  hath  seen  the 
'"•  Father  ;  and  how  sayest  thou  then.  Shew  us  the  Father  ?" 


Language  like  this  speaks  for  itself.  The  Divine  Wisdom,  in 
causing  these  words  to  be  recorded,  has  evidently  anticipated  the 
states  of  those,  who,  keeping  their  eye  fixed  upon  the  infirm  hu  - 
manity  of  our  Lord,  cannot  discern  his  proper  Divinity.  Notwith- 
standing the  miraculous  powers,  with  which  they  have  seen  him 
invested,  and  the  underived  authority  by  which  he  exercised  them  x 
notwithstanding  the  many  direct  as  well  as  indirect  notices  and 
declarations  of  his  being  One  with  the  Father,  Avhich  is  the  same 
thing  as  being  the  Father  himself;  still,  like  their  predecessor 
Philip,  they  entertain  an  idea  that  the  great  God  of  the  universe 
is  a  Being  perfectly  distinct  and  different  from  Jesus;  whom 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  237 

they  regard  in  no  other  liglit,  tlian  merely  as  a  messenger,  a  pro- 
phet, a  deputed  servant,  acting  under  an  especial  commission  re- 
ceived from  his  Divine  Master,  just  as  Moses  and  others  had  done 
before  him.  And  though  they  are  willing  to  allow  him  a  kind  of 
pre-eminence  among  the  prophets,  calling  him,  as  they  suppose 
the  Scriptures  do,  by  way  of  courtesy,  the  Son  of  God,  when  in 
fact  they  do  not  believe  him  to  be  such,  according  to  the  true 
meaning  of  the  expression,  it  is  very  evident  from  our  Lord's 
own  words,  that  the  honour  and  respect,  which  all  such  pay  to 
his  divine  person,  falls  infinitely  short  of  that  which  is  his  due. 
*'  If  ye  had  known  Me,  (says  he,)  ye  would  have  known  my  Fa- 
"  ther  also :"  which  is  information  plain  enough,  that  the  know- 
ledge of  the  Faf/z^r  is  no  greater  knowledge,  than  the  knowledge 
of  Him:  and,  however  paradoxical  this  may  sound  in  the  ears  of 
some,  it  is  nevertheless  true,  because  the  knowledge  of  the  one  is 
at  the  same  time  the  knowledge  of  the  other,  at  least  so  far  as 
finite  intellects  can  reach ;  both  the  Father  and  Jesus  being  iden- 
tically one  and  the  same  Divine  Being. 

The  remaining  part  of  the  Tth  verse  corroborates  our  doctrine. 
Still  speaking  of  the  Father,  Jesus  continues,  "  And  from  hence- 
'■^  forth  ye  know  him,  and  have  seen  him.'^  Whom  now  had  Phi- 
lip and  the  other  disciples  seen,  that  they  might  have  known  the 
Father  better  than  they  did  before  ?  Surely  not  any  Father  dif- 
ferent from  Jesus  ;  for  being  still  uncertain  that  Jesus  meant  him- 
self, Philip  saith  unto  him,  "  Lord,  shew  us  the  Father,  and  if 
"  sufficeth  us."  Jesus  then  must  have  been  the  very  Father, 
whom  Philip  had  seen.  But  if  Jesus  be  the  Father,  he  is  at  the 
same  time  also  the  Son.  And  as  he  cannot  be  both  the  Father 
and  the  Son  in  one  and  the  same  respect,  it  follows  from  this  argu- 
ment, but  especially  from  our  Lord's  own  words  in  ver.  10,  that 
he  is  called  the  Father  in  reference  to  his  soul,  or  interior  Divi- 
nity, and  the  Son  in  reference  to  his  body,  or  Divine  Humanity. 
In  this,  and  in  no  other  possible  way,  we  do  not  hesitate  to  pro- 
nounce, can  the  Divine  Unity  be  maintained  from  the  Scriptures, 
consistently  with  those  high  ascriptions,  whicii  are  so  often  and 
so  gloriously  made  to  the  ever-blessed  Jesus. 


238  A  SEAL  UP(3N  THE  LIPS  OF 

Well,  but  Philip  is  not  yet  satisfied  ;  and  he  is  very  anxious  to 
see  and  to  know  the  Father.  How  many  Philips  are  there  at  this 
day  !  desirous  of  knowing  and  approaching  the  Father,  not  in  the 
person  of  Jesus,  not  as  a  God  manifested  in  the  flesh,  and  thus 
capable  of  being  seen  and  loved  as  a  Man  ;  but  as  a  Being  al- 
together separate  and  distinct  from  him  !  yea,  as  a  Being  Avith- 
out  any  form  whatever,  much  less  the  Human  Form  Divine; 
which  is  the  same  thing  as  a  Being  without  substance,  without  c/m- 
racter,  without  qualiti/,  without  attribute,  and  consequently  with- 
out existence!  Still  with-holding their  faith  from  the  only  Object 
that  is  entitled  to  it,  they  are  vainly  seeking  for  another,  on  whom 
they  may  exercise  it,  and  presumptuously  climbing  up  some  other 
way,  instead  of  entering  in  to  the  real  presence  oi  Divinity  by  the 
open  door  of  Humanity. 

But  who  can  point  the  way  ?  who  can  instruct  us  in  this  great 
truth  ?  None  but  the  Father  himself.  Let  us  listen  to  his  voice. 
When  Philip  prayed,  that  he  would  shew  him  the  Father,  "  Je- 
"  sus  saith  unto  him.  Have  /been  so  long  time  with  you,  and  yet 
"hast  thou  not  known  J\Ie,  Fh'iVip?  He  that  hath  seen  .Me,  hath 
'•'  seen  the  Father :  and  how  sayest  thou  then.  Shew  us  the  Fa- 
^'ther?"  No  language  can  be  more  explicit,  no  sentiment  more 
clear,  no  doctrine  more  certain.  To  see  the  Father  in  any  other 
form,  in  any  other  person,  than  that  of  Jesus,  is  not  given  either 
to  angels  or  men  :  for  no  finite  being  can  by  any  possiliility  behold 
tlitte  naked  Divinity ;  and  therefore  Jehovah  said  to  Moses,  "  Thou 
"  canst  not  see  my  face  ;  for  there  shall  no  man  see  me,  and  live,'* 
Exod.  xxxiii.  20.  Again  it  is  written,  "  J^o  man  hath  seen  God 
"  at  any  time  ;  the  only-begotten  Son,  who  is  in  the  bosom  of  the 
"  Father,  he  hath  declared  him,"  or  rather  "  led  him  out  into 
'^manifestation,''^  John  i.  18.  But  to  behold  the  divine  person  of 
Jesus,  is  to  behold  all  that  can  be  seen  of  Deity,  by  whatever  name 
or  title  he  may  be  distinguished,  whether  it  be  Jehovah,  God, 
Father,  Creator,  Holy  One  of  Israel,  Ancient  of  Days. 
Alpha  and  Omega,  the  First  and  the  Last,  the  Almighty, 
or  any  other  to  be  found  in  the  Sacred  Pages.  Well  then  did  our 
Lord  tell  Philip,  that  the  sight  of  Him  was  tantamount  to  the  sight 
of  the  Father :  for  the  Father  and  he  being  One,  yea  One  Person, 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  239 

just  as  the  soul  and  body  of  a  man  are  one  person,  it  is  plain,  that 
the  sight  of  the  one  is  at  the  same  time  the  sight  of  all  that  can  be 
seen  of  the  other.  In  vain,  thcji-efore,  after  having  thus  seen  Je- 
sus, do  we  still  say  with  Bhilip,  "  Lord,  shew  us  the  Father." 
Rather  let  us  exclaim  in  the  language  of  Peter,  "  Lord,  to  whom 
"  shall  we  oo  ?  thou  hast  the  words  of  eternal  life,"  John  vi.  68. 
Or  else,  turning  to  the  prophetic  page,  and  with  our  eyes  and  our 
hearts  fixed  upon  the  divine  person  of  Jesus  alone,  let  us  in  one 
word  take  the  sum  of  revelation,  and  address  the  Saviour  himself, 
saying,  "  Doubtless  thou  art  our  Father,  though.  Abraham  be  igno- 
"  rant  of  us,  and  Israel  acknowledge  us  not:  thou,  O  Jehovah, 
"  art  our  Father,  our  Redeemer  ;  thy  name  is  from  everlasting," 
Isa.  Ixiii.  16, 


[107.]  John  xiv.  13,  14.  "  Whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  in  my 
name,  that  will  I  do,  that  the  Father  may  be  glorified  in  the 
Son,     If  ye  shall  ask  any  thing  iyi  my  name,  I  will  do  it." 


It  is  generally  supposed,  that  to  ask  any  thing  in  the  name  of 
.rESus,  is  to  pray  to  another  Being  called  the  Father,  either  (ac- 
cording to  the  Trinitarian  system)  for  the  sake  of  the  merits  and 
sufferings  of  his  Son,  or  (according  to  that  of  Unitarians)  from  a 
consideration  of  the  important  lessons  of  morality,  which  were 
tauglit  by  Jesus,  and  the  views  of  immortality  brought  to  light  by 
the  publication  of  the  gospel.  Now  it  is  observable,  that  both 
these  classes  of  professing  Christians,  viz.  Trinitarians  and  Uni- 
tarians, are  agreed  in  this  one  point,  that  their  prayers  are  and 
ought  to  be  directed  to  the  Father  immediately,  as  to  a  great  invi- 
sible Being  perfectly  distinct  from  Jesus  ;  in  which  respect  they 
can  scarcely  be  said  to  differ  from  Jeivs,  Mahometans,  and  Pa- 
gans. Tvinilarians  indeed  will  occasionally  relax  in  this  rule, 
which  with  each  of  the  others  is  constant  and  inviolable.  They 
Avill,  for  example,  at  times  address  their  prayers  to  the  Son, 
Avhom  they  consider  to  be  a  divine  person  existing  from  all  eter- 
nity, equally  as  well  as  the  Fatlier  himself:  but  they  soon  return 
to  their  favourite  Object,  (if  that  can  be  called  an  Object^  which 


240  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

is  incapable  of  being  embraceil  by  any  thought  or  affection,)  as  if 
fearful  of  giving  him  umbrage  or  offence;  and  thus  in  common 
■with  their  Unitarian  brethren,  nay  (let  us  be  honest  and  plain 
■with  each  other,)  in  common  witli  Jews,  Mahometans^  and  Pa- 
gans, they  offer  up  their  devotions  to  an  invisible,  and  conse- 
quently to  an  unknoim  God,  In  the  practice  of  this  kind  of  wor- 
ship they  are  also  confirmed  by  various  passages  in  the  Word  not 
understood  in  their  genuine  sense,  and  likewise  by  the  circum- 
stance of  Jesus  himself  praying  to  the  Father,  whose  example 
therefore  in  this  particular  tliey  hold  themselves  bound  to  follow  : 
not  considering,  that  Jesus  or  the  Son,  differently  from  all  others, 
had  seen  the  Father,  or  jjitre  Bivinity,  John  vi.  46,  and  was  on 
that  account  qualified  to  address  him  immediately  ;  whereas  all 
other  beings,  whether  in  heaven  or  on  earth,  are  by  the  very  con- 
dition of  their  existence,  a.s  finite  intelligences,  for  ever  excluded 
from  that  privilege. 

Jesus  says  in  John  xvi.  23,  "  Whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  the  Fa- 
"  ther  in  my  name.  He  will  give  it  you."  Hence  too  many  have 
been  led  to  infer,  that  they  were  authorized  to  pray  to  the  Fatlier 
immediately,  as  to  a  Being  dift'erent  from  Jesus  ;  and  that  the 
Father,  understood  in  such  separate  capacity,  would  grant  their 
petitions.  But  this  is  a  conclusion  not  to  be  justified  by  the  pre- 
mises, being  grounded  in  a  total  misapprehension  of  our  Lord's 
■vvords.  Before  their  real  purport  can  be  discovered,  we  must 
first  know  what  is  meant  by  asking  in  the  name  of  Jesus  ;  and 
this  can  only  be  ascertained  by  a  comparison  with  otlier  passages, 
wherein  Jesus  speaks  on  the  same  subject,  but  in  terms  more  full 
and  explicit,  and  which,  in  harmony  with  the  present  passage, 
will  admit  of  no  other  interpretation,  than  that  he  himself  is  that 
very  Father,  to  whom  -we  are  directed  to  pray,  and  who  also  pro- 
mises to  fulfil  our  requests.  "  Whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  in  my 
»'  name,"  says  Jesus,  that  will  I  do,  that  the  Father  may  be  glo- 
-'  rifled  in  the  (Sow,"  John  xiv.  13.  And  again,  "  If  ye  shall  ask 
••  any  thing  in  my  name,  I  will  do  it,^^  ver.  14.  To  which  let  us 
''  add  the  following :  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labour,  and  are 
"  heavy-laden,  and  I  icill  give  you  rest,'^  Matt.  xi.  28.  If  any 
••  man  thirst,  let  him  coine  unto  me,  and  drink,"  John  vii.  37. 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  241 

To  ask  the  Father,  therefore,  in  the  name  of  Jesus,  must  be 
the  same  thing  as  to  approach  Jesus  himself  in  person,  under 
an  acknowledgment,  that  the  Divinity  dwells  ivithin  him,  and  is 
accessible  only  through  the  medium  of  his  Humanity  ;  this  being 
the  character  or  quality,  which  is  meant  by  the  name  of  Jesus  : 
in  which  case  it  will  evidently  follow,  that  it  must  again  be  the 
same  thing,  whether  it  be  said  that  the  Father  will  perform  our 
requests,  or  that  the  Son  Jesus  will  perform  them,  since  by  both 
terms  is  plainly  understood  one  and  the  same  God. 

But  will  the  words  of  our  Lord  above  quoted  admit  of  any 
other  construction  ?  We  think  they  will  not,  consistently  with 
each  other,  and  with  tlie  general  tenor  of  Holy  Writ.  One  pas* 
sage  indeed  may  be  extracted  or  detached  from  it's  connection  ia 
the  Sacred  Volume,  and  made  to  speak  almost  any  language,  or 
give  forth  almost  any  sound.  But  if  we  will  allow  to  each  portion 
it's  due  weight,  regarding  every  trutli  of  the  Word  as  essentially 
necessary  to  the  perfection  of  the  whole,  and  ever  keep  in  view 
the  great  design  of  the  Christian  dispensation,  which  is  to  pro- 
claim God  manifest  in  the  flesh,  and  the  possibility  of  salvation, 
as  the  result  of  divine  incarnation,  there  will  be  but  little  danger 
of  our  running  into  any  fatal  error  either  by  perversion  or  by  pro- 
fanation of  the  truth.  On  the  contrary,  we  shall  be  led  to  see, 
by  a  purer  light  than  that  which  nature  furnishes,  how  harmoni- 
ously all  the  parts  of  revelation  conspire  to  demonstrate,  first, 
the  unity  of  the  great  God  of  the  universe,  and,  secondly,  the 
Identity  of  that  God  with  our  ever-adorable  Lord  and  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ. 


[108.]  John  xiv.  16  to  18.  "I  will  pray  the  Father,  and  he 
"  shall  give  you  another  Comforter,  that  he  may  abide  with  you 
"  for  ever ;  even  the  Spirit  of  truth,  whom  the  world  cannot  re- 
"  ceive,  because  it  seeth  him  not,  neither  knowetli  him :  but  ye 
"  know  him,  for  he  dwelleth  with  you,  and  shall  be  in  you.  I  will 
*'  not  leave  you  comfortless ;  /  will  come  to  you.'^ 

Hh 


242  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF   ' 

Here  Jesus  promises  another  Comforter,  apparently  (lisurui 
from  himself:  yet  immediately  after  he  adds,  "  T  Avill  not  leave 
you  comfortless  ;  "  /  ivill  come  in  you,''''  He  must  therefore  have 
meant  himself  by  the  Comforter,  but  himself  in  another  capacity 
or  respect  than  in  his  personal  presence,  that  is  to  say,  in  the  spi' 
rit  of  truth  proceeding  from  him,  which,  though  diftercnt  from  his 
personal  presence^  he  nevertheless  identifies  v«'ith  himself  by  say- 
ing, "  I  xcill  come  to  youy 

It  is  further  observable,  that  though  he  says,  ver.  16  and  26, 
that  the  Father  will  send  the  Comforter,  yet  in  chap.  xv.  26,  and 
in  chap.  xvi.  7,  he  promises  that  he  will  himself  send  the  Com- 
forter ;  which  not  only  proves  that  He  and  the  Father  are  one 
and  the  same  Divine  Being,  but  likewise  clearly  explains  what  is 
meant  by  the  Father  sending  in  his  name,  viz.  that  it  is  neither 
more  nor  less  than  the  proceeding  of  the  spirit  of  truth  immedi- 
ately out  of  the  body  o/ Jesus,  from  the  Father  or  Essential  Divi- 
nity within  him.  This  is  likewise  fully  confirmed  by  the  Evan- 
gelist in  chap.  xx.  22,  where  it  is  written,  that  "  Jesus  breathed 
"  on  his  disciples,  and  saith  unto  them.  Receive  ye  the  Holy  Spi- 
".  rit."  Moreover,  from  tlie  passage  last  quoted,  compared  with 
ver.  23  of  chap.  xiy.  and  many  other  places,  it  is  evident,  that 
sending  or  being  sent  is,  (more  especially  in  reference  to  light  or 
truth,  as  in  Ps.  xliii.  3.)  in  the  language  of  Scripture,  the  same 
thing  as  emanating  ox  proceeding,  which  again  is  the  same  thing 
as  b^ing  accommodated  to  the  reception*  of  man  ;  for  though  it  is 

•  The  reader  is  requested  to  mark  this  last  explanation  of  what  is  meant 
by  proceeding y  when  the  term  is  used  in  reference  to  the  operation  of  the  Ho- 
ly  Spirit  upon  the  mind  of  man.  Exteriorlif  considered,  it  may  appear,  that 
whsit  proceeds  from  the  Lord  WHS  not  previously  omnipresent;  from  which  it 
might  again  he  inferred,  that  neither  is  the  Lord  himself"  omnipresent,  from 
v,'hon\  the  procession  is  said  to  take  place.  But  if  the  subject  be  viewed  inte- 
riorly, it  will  be  fovmd,  first,  tliat  the  Lord  is  completely  omnipresent,  with 
all  his  divine  attributes,  in  every  individual  man ;  and  therefore,  secondly, 
that  nothing  can  in  reality  be  said  to  proceed  from  him  in  any  such  way  as  to 
imply  a  loccd  distance  between  him  and  tlie  human  mind ;  but,  thirdly,  that 
JiisHoly  Spirit  of  divine  truth  Is  said  to  proceed  from  him,  when  it  is  accovi. 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  243 

so  frequently  declared,  t'liat  the  Father  ivill  send  the  Com- 
forter, and  that  Jesus  ivill  send  him,  yet  it  is  also  said,  that  both 
the  Father  and  Jesus  will  come  unto  man,  and  make  their 
abode  ivilh  him.  And  such  joint  advent  of  both  the  Father  and 
the  Son  takes  effect  in  the  human  mind,  whensoever  the  Huma- 
nity of  Jesus  is  acknowledged  to  be  Divine,  or  whensoever  di- 
vine good  and  divine  truth,  divine  love  and  divine  wisdom,  pro- 
ceeding from  the  Lord  alone,  take  up  tlieir  resideiice  (so  far  as  is 
consistent  with  a  finite  degree  of  leception)  in  the  heart,  in  the 
understanding,  and  in  ti»e  life. 


[109.]  John  XV.  5i     Jesus  said  to  his  discipleS,  "  Without  me 
ye  can  do  noihing:^^ 


This  certainly  v/ould  have  been  arrogance  in  the  extreme,  werfe 
Jesus  any  thing  short  of  God  himself.  Man,  as  a  finite  crea- 
ture, is  continually  dependent  on  his  Creator,  and  without  a 
power  derived  from  him  can  neitlier  stir  hand  nor  foot,  much  less 
perform  any  moral  or  spiritual  action  :  for  being  only  an  organiz- 
ed form  receptive  of  life,  he  must  ever  be  indebted,  both  for  fii- 
culty  and  ability,  to  him  who  is  truly  and  independently  life  in 
himself*  But  there  can  be  only  One  such  in  the  universe:  and 
he,  who  can  with  indisputable  authority  say  to  the  whole  human 
race,  "  IVithout  me  ye  can  do  nothing^'^  must  surely  in  the  very 
nature  of  things  be  that  One.  Now  Jesus  Irlth  announced  him- 
self in  this  high  character,  and  still  proclaims  his  exclusive  prero- 
gative in  language  that  will  neither  admit  of  amendment,  nor  of 
misinterpretation.  Therefore  Jesus  is,  and  must  be,  the  One 
Supreme  God  over  all. 


viodated  to  the  reception  of  man,  and  when  man  actualli/  lives  under  it's  hsii» 
venhi  inflne?ice 


244  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

[110.]  John  XV.  23,  24.  "  He  that  hateth  me,  hatetli  my  Fa- 
"  ther  also.  If  I  had  not  done  among  tlieni  the  works,  which 
*'  none  other  man  did,  they  had  not  had  sin  s  but  now  have  they 
*'  both  seen,  and  hated  hath  me  and  my  Father.'''' 


In  a  preceding  article,  (No.  106,)  we  have  already  shewn,  that 
the  sight  and  knowledge  of  Jesus  is  the  same  thing  as  the  sight 
and  knowledge  of  the  Father.  A  similar  argument  will  apply 
on  the  present  occasion ;  because  he  who  sees  and  hates  the  one, 
is  described  as  seeing  and  liating  the  other  also :  and  thus  either 
case  proves  the  identity  of  both.  But,  in  addition  to  this  argu- 
ment, another  proof  of  the  divinity  of  Jesus  arises  out  of  the 
passage  now  under  consideration.  He  plainly  asserts  of  himself, 
that  he  had  performed  works  such  as  none  other  man  ever  did. 
What  works  were  these  ?  Miracles  ?  Moses  and  Aaron,  prophets 
and  men  of  God,  had  previously  wrought  the  same  ;  and  some  of 
them  had  even  raised  the  dead  to  life.  How  then  are  we  to  un- 
derstand the  words  of  Jesus,  that  "  he  had  done  among  them  the 
"works  which  none  other  man  did?"  Truly  in  no  other  way, 
than  by  considering,  that  all  his  works  were  performed  with  his 
own  omnipotent  hand,  and  by  his  own  divine  authority,  he  hav- 
ing plainly  refused  to  confess  any  higher ;  (see  Matt.  vii.  29 ; 
chap.  xxi.  27 :)  whereas  the  miracles  performed  by  every  other 
man  were  always  under  the  acknowledgment  of  a  power  and  au- 
thority superior  to  their  own,  and  thus  effected  either  in  the  name 
of  Jehovah,  or  in  the  name  of  Jesus,  both  names  being. ever  ex- 
pressive of  one  and  the  same  omnipotent  God.* 


[111.]  John  xvi.  8,  9.  "When  he  [the  Comforter]  is  come, 
<'  he  will  reprove  the  world  of  sin,  because  they  believe  not  on 
"  me." 


*  Magical  miracles  are  here  excepted,  as  forming  no  part  of  our  prescni 
subject, 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  Sec.  245 

It  is  here  declared  to  be  a  sin,  not  to  believe  in  Jesus.  Surely 
a  man's  fiiith  ought  to  be  directed  to  God,  and  it  must  be  sinful 
to  with-hold  it.  But  where  can  the  sin  be,  in  not  believing  in  a 
mere  man  ?  Faith,  so  far  as  it  has  it's  seat  in  the  understanding, 
implies  a  knowledge  of  some  Object  or  Being  wortliy  of  our  high- 
est consideration,  together  with  an  acknoivledgment  that  sucli 
Being  is  both  able  and  willing  to  succour  all,  who  humbly  claim 
his  protection.  But  faith,  so  far  as  it  actuates  and  flows  from  the 
heart,  further  implies  a  trust  and  confidence  in  the  divine  mercy 
and  favour  of  the  same  great  Object,  which  can  only  rise  up  in  the 
breast  in  consequence  of  living  according  to  the  laws  prescribed 
in  his  Holy  Word.  With  this  view  of  the  true  nature  of  faith, 
how  can  a  man  be  justified  in  fixing  his  supreme  attention  on  any 
other  Object,  than  Him,  who  both  gives  and  again  requires  from 
us  our  best  affections  and  thoughts,  and  who  is  too  jealous  to  al- 
low of  the  smallest  diminution  of  his  glory  by  sharing  it  with 
another  }  If  Jesus  be  no  more  than  a  mere  man,  as  the  Socinian 
Unitarians  suppose ;  or  if  he  be  no  more  than  a  mere  aristo-an- 
gelic  creature,  as  the  Arian  Unitarians  have  designated  him ;  nay, 
if  he  be  no  more  than  a  mere  secondary  or  subordinate  person  in 
what  the  Athanasian  Trinitarians  call  the  United  Godhead  ;  how 
can  faith,  in  any  one  of  these  imagined  or  rather  imaginary  cases, 
be  directed  to  him,  without  at  the  same  time,  and  in  the  same  de- 
gree, detracting  from  the  honour,  and  diminishing  the  glory,  that 
exclusively  belongs  to  the  One  Only  Supreme  God  and  Person, 
Jehovah  the  Father? 

Taking  up  the  first  of  the  visionary  schemes  above  named,  viz. 
the  Unitarian,  and  turning  it  about  to  look  for  it's  face,  that  it 
may  be  more  thoroughly  inspected,  we  can  discover  nothing  but 
features  of  mortality  impressed  on  inanimate  forms  of  matter  f 
the  whole  destitute  alike  of  vital  spirit,  and  of  every  thing  that 
bears  the  stamp  of  divinity.  Faith  with-held  from  such  an  ob- 
ject, is  rather  a  merit  than  a  crime.  It  were  sin  to  believe  in  him,, 
or  for  a  moment  to  fasten  our  eyes  upon  him,  while  a  God,  the 
fountain  of  all  life  and  happiness,  can  be  contemplated  and 
adored. 


«46  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LlPS  Ot? 

Nothing  better  can  be  said  of  the  second  or  Arian  scheme  :  it 
also  sinks  into  dust  the  moment  that  the  light  of  heaven  strikes 
upon  it.  For  what  is  the  highest  creature  in  himself  more  than 
a  worm  ?  And  of  what  quality  must  that  faith  be,  which  embraces 
so  mean  an  object  ?  Incapable  of  existing  for  a  single  moment 
•^^fithout  communicated  life^  how  can  he  impart  to  another  that,  of 
which  he  himself  stands  so  much  in  need,  and  for  the  enjoyment 
of  which  his  gratitude,  as  well  as  his  faith,  trust,  and  confidence, 
will  be  for  ever  iji  arivars?  Vanity  of  vanities  would  it  be  fof 
any  one  in  the  same  condition  of  existence  to  look  up  to  his  fel- 
lou-'Worm  either  for  life  or  salvation,  and  thus  to  exercise  a  faith 
in  the  creature,  which  exclusively  belongs  to  the  adorable  Creator. 

As  to  the  third-mentioned  scheme,  which  is  that  of  a  Tri-per- 
sonal  Godhead,  it  must  ever  be  held  as  abhorrent  both  to  revela- 
tion and  to  sound  reason,  as  any  other  that  can  be  invented  by 
the  ingenuity  of  man.  For  if  a  Divine  Person  be  the  same  thing 
as  a  Divine  Being,  or  a  Divine  InteUigence,  (and  one  would 
think,  no  body  could  well  deny  the  position,)  then  a  Trinity  of 
such  Divine  Persons  must  of  necessity  be  a  Trinity  of  Divine 
Beings  or  Divine  Intelligences,  which  again  is  the  same  thing  as 
a  Trinity  of  Gods.  But  this  surely  can  never  be  less  repugnant 
to  the  truth  of  revelation,  than  it  is  to  the  reason  and  common 
sense  of  mankind.  If  there  be  three  divine  persons,  they  must 
differ  in  rank,  in  quality,  or  in  attribute  ;  they  cannot  be  in  all 
respects  alike,  and  yet  remain  three  in  number  ;  because  similitude 
in  all  respects  would  only  be  another  expression  for  zinity  and 
identity  of  person,  or  unity  and  identity  of  being.  There  n>ust 
therefore  be  a  ditlerence  of  rank ;  and  this  implies,  that  in  two 
of  the  divine  persons  some  attribute  or  quality  must  be  wanting, 
which  is  to  be  found  only  in  the  first  and  supreme  :  not  to  mention 
the  converse  of  the  argument,  that  there  must  also  be  wanting 
some  attribute  or  quality  in  the  first  person,  which  is  possessed 
only  by  the  second  or  third.  And  hence  it  may  be  seen,  that  a 
faith  directed  to  any  one  of  the  subordinate  pei-sons,  separately 
from  the  first  in  rank,or  indeed  to  thefirst,and  not  at  the  same  time 
tb  the  two  others,  cannot  ])c  said  to  embrace  the  whole  Deity,  but 
only  a  ct^rtain  portion  of  it.     The  misery  of  this  scheme  is.  that 


UNITAIUANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  QAT 

by  dividing  it  destroys  the  Divine  Unity,  and  renders  the  faith, 
that  it  recommends,  as  vain  and  inefficient,  as  a  faith  in  any  mere 
man,  or  in  any  mere  angel. 

Seeing  tlien  that  the  various  kinds  or  qualities  of  faith  above 
specified  are  not  such  as  we  are  called  upon  by  the  Scriptures  to 
exercise,  in  reference  to  Jesus;  and  yet  it  isdeclared,  that  when 
the  Comforter  is  come,  he  will  reprove  the  world  of  sin,  because 
they  believe  not  on  him  ;  it  follows,  that  the  true  faith  consists 
in  acknowledging  Him  alone  as  the  One  Supreme  and  Om- 
nipotent God  ;  and  that  every  deviation  from  this  acknowledg- 
ment, whether  it  be  by  making  him  a  mere  man,  or  the  first  of 
created  angels,  or  even  a  second  person  in  what  is  very  improper- 
ly called  the  Divine  Trinity,  is,  in  it's  degree,  no  less  that  an  ac-r 
tual  sin,  a  breach  of  the  divine  law,  which  severely  prohibits  us 
from  serving  any  other  God  than  One,  or  from  so  much  as  lifting 
up  an  eye  or  a  thought,  much  less  the  aifections  of  the  heart,  in 
the  way  of  faith  and  worship,  to  any  other  Object  than  the  Divine 
Man  Jesus  Christ. 


[112.]  John  xvi.  14.     «  He  [the  Spirit  of  truth]  shall  glorify 
me :  for  he  shall  receive  of  mine,  and  shall  shew  it  unto  you." 


The  Spirit  of  truth  may  be  said  to  glorify  Jesus,  whensoever 
it  is  demonstrated  by  the  true  sense  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures, 
which  is  the  genuine  light  of  heaven,  that  he  alone  is  God,  the 
fountain  and  source  of  all  that  is  good,  and  true,  and  holy,  in  the 
church.  It  is  added,  "  He  shall  receive  of  mine  ;"  by  which  we 
are  to  understand,  that  the  Spirit  of  truth,  which  is  the  Holy  Spi- 
rit, shall  proceed  from  him.  But  as  nothing  holy  can  proceed 
from  any  being  in  heaven  or  on  earth,  save  from  the  Lord  God 
Almighty,  who  in  Apoc.  xv.  4,  is  declared  to  be  "  alone  holy,'^ 
it  follows,  that  Jesus  is  and  must  be  that  same  Lord  God  Al- 
mighty, of  whom  David  also  writes,  when  he  says,  "  Holy  and 
"  reverend  is  his  name,"  Ps.  cxi.  9.  This  is  further  confirmed  by 
the  coincidence  observable  in  the  before-cited  verse  of  the  Apoca- 


348  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

lypse  with  the  passage  in  the  Gospel.  Jesus  says  in  the  Gospel, 
*•  He  [the  Spirit  of  truth]  shall  glorifi/  me ;"  and  in  the  Apoca- 
lypse it  is  written,  "  Who  sliall  not  fear  thee,  O  Lokd,  and  glo- 
»■*  rify  thy  name/  for  thou  onbj  art  /to/y." 


[113.]   John  xvi.   15.     '^  All  things  that  the  Father  hath,  are 
mine.-' 


No  description  of  Deity,  as  applicable  to  Jesus,  can  go  beyond 
this,  because  it  includes,  almost  in  one  word,  every  attribute, 
power,  and  perfection,  which  tlie  human  mind  can  conceive  of,  as 
in  any  way  appertaining  to  the  Supreme  God.  Nay  more,  it  em- 
braces (if  language  in  any  respect  can  be  said  to  do  so)  that  in- 
finity of  perfection,  which  only  to  think  of  overwhelms  the  capa- 
city of  man,  and  sinks  him  as  it  were  into  nothing.  How  far 
above  the  character  of  a  mere  man,  or  a  mere  creature  of  any 
name,  must  He  be,  who,  looking  at  the  purely  divine  essence,  and 
able  to  sustain  it  within  himself  in  all  it's  intensity  of  vital  fire, 
collects  as  it  were  it's  scattered  rays  into  the  burning  focus  of 
his  heart,  and  for  ever  concentrates  within  the  bosom  of  Huma- 
nity, all  the  energies,  powers,  virtues,  and  nameless  perfections 
of  the  self-existent,  sole-existent,  and  eternal  Divinity  !  Yet 
such  is  the  high  character  assumed  by  Jesus.  Whatsoever  of 
infinity,  immensit3%  and  eternity  ;  wliatsoever  of  love,  wisdom, 
and  life,  in  their  first  and  purest  principles,  as  M'ell  as  in  their 
last  and  lowest  effects,  belongs  to  the  great  Parent  of  the  uni^ 
verse,  he  claims  as  his  own !  If  the  Father  be  omnipotent,  om- 
niscient, and  omnipresent,  ruling  the  heavens  above,  and  the 
earth  below,  together  with  all  things  that  have  existence  either  in 
ihe  spiritual  or  in  the  natural  world  ;  the  same  power  and  sove- 
reignty are  in  the  hands  of  Jesus.  By  the  breath  of  his  mouth 
were  tlicy  created,  and  for  his  pleasure  they  exist.  Apoc.  iv.  11. 
John  i.  5,  10. 

In  short,  all  things,  which  belong  to  the  Father,  or  Essential 
Divinity,  without  any  exception  whatever,  belong  to,  and  are  the 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  249 

right  of,  Jesus  the  S071,  or  the  Divine  Humanity.  For  as  the 
bodif  of  a  living  man  possesses  and  exercises  all  the  powers  and 
energies  of  the  soul,  so  in  like  manner,  but  infinitely  above  the 
comparison,  does  the  Humanity,  called  Jesus,  possess  and  ex- 
ercise all  the  powers  and  perfections  of  the  Divinity,  called  the 
Father. 


[114.]  John  xvii.  3.     "This  is  life  eternal,  that  they  might 
*'  know  Thee  the  only  true  God  and  Jesus  Christ,  whom  thou 

"  hast  sent."* 


Nothing  can  be  more  full  in  proof  of  the  supreme  divinity  of 
Jesus,  in  the  way  maintained  by  the  New  Church,  than  these 
words,  when  properly  understood ;  although  most  unaccountably 
even  Unitarians  quote  them  in  support  of  a  contrary  doctrine. 
Life  eternal  is  here  stated  to  consist  in  two  things,  viz.  first,  in 
the  knowledge  of  the  Father,  who  is  called  the  only  true  God; 
and,  secondly,  in  the  knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ,  whom  he  hath 
sent.  The  first  part  of  the  proposition,  namely,  the  knowledge 
of  the  only  true  God,  will  be  readily  admitted  by  all,  as  a  most 
essential  constituent  of  life  eternal.  But  on  a  supposition  that 
Jesus  is  a  mere  man,  how  strange  must  it  appear,  to  find  it  as- 
serted and  insisted  upon,  that  the  knowledge  of  hint  is  to  the  full 
as  necessary  and  as  essential  to  oui*  future  happiness  and  well- 
beings  as  the  knowledge  even  of  the  only  true  God!  If  Jesus  be 
no  more  than  a  prophet,  like  Moses,  or  Elijah,  or  Jonah,  or  Amos, 
delegated  and  commissioned  by  another,  who  is  God,  to  deliver 
his  will  and  word,  what  virtue  can  there  be  in  the  knowledge  of 
him,  any  more  than  of  them?  Or  what  conceivable  benefit  can 
arise  from  the  equal  consideration  of  a  worm  and  of  the  great  Jiu' 
thor  of  all  being?     The  thought  is  too  degrading,  too  mean,  to 

*  A  fuller  explanation  of  this  passage,  with  reference  toil's  Soclnian  inter- 
pretation, may  be  seen  in  Mr.  Hindmarsh's  Lcttefs  to  Dr.  Priestley,  page 

I  i 


250  A  SEAL  lypON  THE  LIPS  O^ 

bear  any  affinity  with  the  truth  of  revelation  :  for  this  inccssaiiL- 
ly  teaches,  that  in  all  our  approaches  towards  Deity  there  must 
be  no  association  of  the  creature  with  the  Creator,  no  acknow- 
ledgment of  any  other  saving  power,  than  that  which  is  purely 
divine. 

How  then  are  we  to  understand  our  Lord's  words,  consistently 
M'ith  all  those  lessons  of  wisdom,  which  he  has  so  repeatedly  laid 
down  for  our  use  ?  It  cannot  for  a  moment  be  doubted,  but,  if 
we  view  the  two  propositions  above  stated  in  their  true  and  ge- 
nuine light,  the  harmony,  beauty,  and  importance  of  both  will  ap- 
pear most  evident.  The  Sacred  Scriptures  abundantly  teach  us, 
that  by  the  term  Father,  who  is  called  the  only  true  God,  is 
meant  the  divine  essence,  or  pure  Divinity,  in  itself  invisible  and 
unapproachable  ;  and  by  the  term  Son,  or  Jesus  Christ,  who  is 
said  to  be  sent,  because  conceived  from  the  Father,  is  understood 
the  divine  form,  or  Divine  Humanity,  \isih\e  and  approachable, 
as  the  proper  medium  of  access  to  the  Divinity.  Under  this  point 
of  view  it  is  easy  to  discern  tlie  true  reason  why  it  is  said,  that 
life  eternal  consists  in  knowing  both  the  Father  and  Jesus 
Christ  the  Son  :  for  if  the  Fatherhe  like  the  soul  or  essence,  and 
the  Son  like  the  body  or  form,  then  the  knowledge  of  the  one  will 
be  as  essential  and  as  necessary,  as  the  knowledge  of  the  otlier ; 
since  both  together  constitute  only  one  and  the  same  God,  as  the 
soul  and  body  constitute  only  one  and  the  same  man. 

Or,  if  we  descend  still  lower  in  the  scale  of  creation,  and  take 
up  the  first  of  the  inanimate  subjects  of  nature,  for  illustration  of 
the  same  truth,  it  may  be  clearly  comprehended,  that,  as  on  the 
presence  of  the  sun,  by  means  of  tlie  rays  of  light  and  heat,  which 
proceed  from  it,  and  whicli  are  also  in  a  manner  continuous  with 
it,  depends  the  natural  life  of  vegetables  and  of  animals  in  this 
world ;  so  comparatively,  yet  again  infinitely  above  the  compari- 
son, on  the  presence  or  acknowledgment  of  the  divine  love,  which 
is  spiritual  fire,  and  is  called  the  Father  sending  forth  the  Son, 
and  of  the  divine  ivisdom,  whicli  is  spiritual  light,  and  is  called 
the  Son  coining  forth  from  the  Father,  entirely  depends  the  spi- 
l^ual  and  eternal  life  of  man  in  the  world  to  come. 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  251 

]Many  other  similitudes,  in  the  way  of  illustration,  might  be 
collected  from  the  wide  theatre  of  nature,  all  tending  to  confirm 
the  great  truths  of  revelation  :  but  none  of  them  will  be  found  so 
perfect  in  it's  kind,  and  so  satisfactory  to  the  view,  as  those  which 
we  have  now  brought  forward,  especially  the  first.  For  the  more 
we  depart  from  the  contemplation  of  man,  who  alone  was  created 
in  the  perfect  image  and  likeness  of  his  Maker,  to  any  of  the 
other  forms  or  subjects  of  nature,  the  further  removed  from  the 
original  source  of  life  do  we  perceive  all  the  analogies,  correspon- 
dences, and  images  of  spiritual  things.  And  hence  no  picture 
can  be  presented  tp  the  mind  so  truly,  so  clearly,  and  so  fully  ex- 
planatory of  the  Scripture  doctrine  of  the  Father  and  the  Son^ 
their  distinction,  and  yet  their  tinity  and  identity,  as  the  parallel 
which  we  have  so  repeatedly  drawn  between  those  two  names  of 
Deity,  and  the  soul  and  body  of  an  individual  man. 

We  do  not  here  speak  of  the  analogy  subsisting  between  the 
Holy  Spirit  and  the  jjroceeding  operation  of  man,  because  the 
passage  in  John,  which  we  are  now  endeavouring  to  illustrate, 
makes  no  mention  whatever  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  And  this  omis- 
sion is  itself  at  least  a  strong  presumptive  proof,  in  opposition  to 
the  Trinitarian  system,  that  the  Holy  Spirit  is  not  a  divine  per* 
son  separate  and  distinct  from  the  Father  and  the  Son.  For  were 
he  such  a  distinct  person  ;  and  were  all  the  three  persons  toge- 
ther necessary  to  make  up  the  complete  Godhead,  or  in  other 
words,  one  entire  God,  the  knowledge  of  whom  is  declared  to  be 
life  eternal ;  then  surely,  it  is  reasonable  to  expect,  the  Holy  Spi- 
rit would  have  been  expressly  named,  as  well  as  the  other  two 
persons.  But  nothing  of  the  kind  appears  :  not  a  word  is  said  of 
the  necessity  of  knowing  this  supposed  third  person,  but  only  of 
knowing  the  Father  and  Jesus  Christ.  "  This  is  life  eternal, 
*'  that  they  might  know  Thee  the  only  true  God,  and  Jesus 
"  Christ  whom  thou  hast  sent." 

Instead  of  a  Triad,  here  is  only  a  Duad,  which,  so  far  from 
agreeing  with  the  tri'personal  scheme,  leads  us  at  once  to  detect 
it's  fallacy,  and  to  see  that  it  is  both  a  gratuitous  and  a  useless 
invention.  For  all  that  man  spiritually  stands  in  need  of,  being 
eternal  life,  is  to  be  obtained  by  the  knowledge  of  two  things, 


252  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

viz.  the  divine  good  called  the  Father,  and  the  divine  truth  call- 
ed the  Son;  besides  which  there  are,  and  can  be,  no  other  con- 
ceivable principles  of  life  either  in  heaven  or  on  earth,  capable  of 
yielding  permanent  happiness  to  the  human  mind.  The  various 
modes,  mediums,  and  accommodations,  hy  which  this  saving  know- 
ledge is  brought  to  man,  whether  through  the  presence  and  in- 
strumentality of  angelic  spirits,  themselves  already  under  the  in- 
fluence of  holy  truth,  or  through  instruction  from  the  Word,  and 
from  other  writings  illustrative  of  it,  form  another  subject  of  con- 
sideration, not  required  to  be  distinctly  noticed  by  our  Lord  in 
the  passage  above  cited,  but  which  are  nevertheless  involved  in 
the  very  knowledge  there  spoken  of. 

Hence  we  see,  that  the  Father  and  the  Son,  united  in  one,  in- 
clude all  that  can  in  strict  propriety  be  held  up  to  view  as  a  visi- 
ble Object  of  worship,  or  as  a  personal  concentration  of  all  the  di- 
vine attributes  and  perfections.  From  this  personal  Object  in- 
deed proceeds  a  sphere  of  divine  influence,  operating  upon  all 
who  in  any  ^neasure  become  susceptible  of  it,  according  to  their 
several  degrees  and  capacities  of  reception :  and  this  sphere  of 
holiness,  as  entering  into,  illuminating,  and  blessing  angels,  spi- 
rits, and  men,  is  what  is  properly  meant  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  the 
Spirit  of  truth,  and  the  Comforter,  which  shall  lead  and  guide 
into  all  necessary  and  saving  truth.  But  still  no  other  Object,  as 
an  Object,  than  the  Es&ential  Divinity  called  the  Father,  and  the 
Divine  Humanity  called  the  Son,  united  together  in  one  visible 
and  glorijied  person,  can  ever  engage  the  direct,  immediate,  and 
proper  worship  of  the  creature.  Whereas,  on  a  supposition  of 
there  being  absolutely  three  distinct  persons  in  the  constitution  of 
One  God,  as  taught  by  Trinitarians,  it  is  a  most  unaccountable 
circumstance,  that  Jesus,  who  came  into  the  world,  among  other 
things,  for  the  very  purpose  of  revealing  and  manifesting  the  eii' 
tire  God,  should  yet,  in  stating  the  conditions  of  eternal  life  as 
above,  have  altogether  omitted  the  mention  of  any  third  person, 
who,  in  the  estimation  of  Trinitarians,  is  at  least  one  third  part 
of  Deity,  and  as  essential  a  part  too  as  either  of  the  others,  being 
co-eternal,  and  in  otlier  respects  co-equal  with  both  the  Father 
and  the  Son. 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITAIIIANS,  &c.  253 

It  is  impossible,  therefore,  with  our  eyes  in  any  degree  open 
to  the  light  of  truth,  for  a  moment  to  give  countenance  to  any 
such  idea,  as  either  a  trinity  or  a  duality  of  divine  persons  in  the 
Godhead.  But  at  the  same  time  we  are  constrained  to  acknow- 
ledge, that,  wheresoever  in  the  Word  we  are  led  to  contemplate  a 
divine  duality, t]\a.t  is,  a  nominal  distinction  between  Jehovah  and 
the  Messiah,  as  in  Moses  and  the  Prophets;  between  the  Fa- 
ther and  the  Son,  as  in  the  Gospels  ;  or  between  God  and  the 
Lamb,  the  Lord  and  his  Christ,  as  in  the  Apocalypse  ;  in  each 
of  tliese  cases  we  are  to  understand  the  invisible  Divinity  and 
the  visible  Humanity  of  one  and  the  same  God,  which  also  coin- 
cide with  his  divine  love  and  his  divine  ivisdom,  or  his  divine 
good  and  his  divine  truth. 

And  again,  whensoever  we  meet  with  expressions,  that  evi- 
dently announce  a  divine  trinity,  we  are  in  like  manner  con- 
strained to  refer  them  to  one  only  person,  to  one  only  Object  of 
our  love  and  worship ;  considering,  that  they  are  intended  to 
point  out  to  us,  first  of  all,  the  two  essentials  of  love  and  wisdom, 
or  of  Divinity  and  Humanity,  already  named,  and  in  addition 
thereto  a  third  essential,  consisting  of  both  the  former  in  action^ 
operation,  or  use.  Precisely  as  a  man  may  be  said  to  consist,  in 
the  first  place,  of  two  human  essentials,  called  his  soul  and  his 
body,  and  in  addition  thereto  of  a  third  essential,  the  effect  or  re- 
sult of  the  two  former,  and  called  his  proceeding  action  or  opera- 
tion. 

If  now  with  these  views  of  the  two  constituent  principles  of 
man,  who  bears,  or  was  created  to  bear,  the  image  and  likeness  of 
God,  we  turn  to  the  passage,  where  our  Lord  teaches  us  to  look 
up  to  the  Father  and  to  /iinise// conjointly  for  salvation  and  eter- 
nal life,  we  shall  clearly  perceive  the  genuine  sense  intended  to 
he  conveyed,  namely,  that,  instead  of  directing  our  thoughts  to 
the  cor  templation  of  two  distinct  Objects  or  Beings,  the  one  di- 
vine, and  the  other  merely  human,  his  words  resolve  themselves 
at  once  into  the  plain  and  simple  idea  of  knowing,  acknowledging, 
and  adoring  the  One  Jehovah  God  alone  in  his  Divide  or  Gto- 
AiFiED  Humanity. 


'254  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

[115.]  John  xvii.  5.  "  And  now,  O  Father,  glorify  thou  me  with 
"  thine  own  selj\  with  the  glory  which  I  had  with  tliee  before  the 
*'  world  it'fls." 


Two  most  important  considerations  arise  out  of  these  words. 
The  first  is,  that  Jesus  was  capable  of  being  so  far  glorified,  as  to 
be  united  even  with  the  very  (Se^/*  of  Jehovah  the  Father,  that  is, 
with  the  pure  and  naked  Divinity.  Now  no  mere  man,  no  an- 
gel, no  created  being,  can  for  a  single  moment  endure  such  in- 
tense glory,  as  that  must  be,  which  belongs  to  the  personal  as- 
semblage of  all  the  divine  perfections,  every  one  of  which  is  infi- 
nite and  eternal.  From  this  consideration,  therefore,  it  follows, 
that  Jesus,  who  was  capable  of  entering  into  a  glory  inaccessible 
to  all  others,  and  thus  of  dwelling  in  the  very  bosom  or  centre  of 
Divinity,  could  be  no  other  than  a  Being  infinitely  surpassing 
every  created  intelligence  both  in  dignity  of  cliaracter  and  sa- 
credness  of  person.  And  being  thus  infinitely  elevated  above 
all  that  bears  the  name  of  creature,  he  could  not  have  been  less 
than  God  himself,  who,  after  having  laid  his  glory  aside  for  a 
time,  and  humbled  himself  to  assume  a  terrestrial  humanity, 
again  returned  into  that  glory  inconceivable,  which  he  had  before 
all  worlds,  and  which,  breaking  forth  with  increased  splendor 
both  in  heaven  and  in  the  church,  caused  "  the  light  of  the  moon 
"  to  be  as  the  light  of  the  sun,  and  the  light  of  tUe  sun  to  be  se- 
"  ven-fold,  as  the  light  of  seven  days,"  Isa.  xxx.  26. 

The  next  most  important  doctrine  arising  out  of  the  passage 
before  us  is,  the  pre-existence  of  Jesus  before  the  creation  of  the 
world.  ^'  Glorify  thou  me  (says  he  to  the  Father)  with  thine  own 
*'  self,  with  the  glory  which  I  had  with  thee  before  the  world  ivas" 
Could  a  mere  man  have  had  any  existence  before  the  creation  of 
the  world  ?  Where  could  he  have  placed  his  foot,  when  as  yet 
there  was  neither  space,  nor  time,  nor  matter  ?  neither  firmament 
above,  nor  earth  beneath  ?  neither  light,  nor  heat,  nor  any  one- 
comfort  to  support  and  continue  his  existence  ?  Nay,  could  any 
angd,  archangel,  seraph,  or  other  created  power,  have  been 
brought  into  being,  before  there  was  a  world  (either  spiritual  or 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  255 

natural)  provided  to  hold  or  contain  him  ?  Must  not  a  house  be 
built,  before  it  can  receive  an  inhabitant  ?  So  must  not  the  creation 
of  the  world  have  taken  place,  before  any  finite,  rational  being 
could  have  been  formed, to  occupy  a  part  of  it?*  But  He,  who  could 

*  It  is  in  agreement  with  every  law  of  divine  order,  that  the  ultimate  or 
lowest  base  of  existence  be  first  provided,  before  the  end  .of  creation  can  be 
obtained.  The  end  of  creation  is  the  angelic  heaven,  to  be  formed  out  of  the 
human  race,  which  may  (if  possible)  bear  some  kind  of  respect  to  it's  infinite 
Creator :  and  this  respect  to  the  infinite  Creator  can  only  be  produced  by  the 
inrlefinite  and  never-ceasing  increase  of  it's  inhabitants,  as  well  as  by  their 
eternal  advances  in  mental  excellency  and  perfection.  Hence,  1.  It  became 
necessary  to  create,  by  means  of  the  sun  and  atmospheres,  spiritual  and  natu- 
ral, a  terraqueous  globe,  which  by  successive  changes  and  revolutions,  both 
annual  and  diurnal,  might  in  due  time  be  prepared  as  a  fit  soil  to  receive  the 
future  herbage,  before  any  kind  of  vegetable  seeds  could  be  formed.  2.  It 
became  necessary,  that  the  waters  of  the  globe  should  in  a  great  degree  be 
separated  from  the  land,  collected  together,  and  portioned  out  into  oceans, 
seas,  lakes,  rivers,  &c.  &c.  before  any  kind  of  fishes  could  be  produced  to  in- 
habit them.  3.  It  became  necessary  also,  that  a  plentiful  supply  of  plants^ 
herbs,  and  vegetables  of  every  description  should  be  provided,  before  animals 
in  general  could  be  formed,  in  order  that,  when  brought  into  existence,  they 
might  immediately  have  the  opportunity  of  selecting  their  proper  sustenance. 
4.  It  was  necessary  again,  that,  in  addition  to  the  mineral  and  vegetable  king- 
doms of  nature,  animals  or  living  creatures,  in  all  their  varieties,  should  have  - 
been  formed  for  the  service  and  use  of  the  future  man,  before  he  could  make 
his  appearance  on  the  theatre  of  creation.  5.  And  it  was  also  necessary,  that, 
when  all  things  conducive  to  the  well-being  and  comfort  of  man  were  thus 
provided,  he  should  at  length  be  ushered  into  the  natural  world,  as  a  preli- 
minary stage  of  existence,  where  a  ground  might  first  be  laid  for  his  acquisi- 
tion of  science,  intelligence,  and  wisdom,  before  he  could  become  a  purely 
spiritual  and  celestial  being,  in  other  words,  fitybre  he  could  become  an  angel, 
or  an  inhabitant  of  heaven. 

Thus  we  perceive,  that,  while  the  great  eiid  of  creation,  namely,  the  ex^ 
istence  of  an  angelic  heaven,  wherein  the  Creator  may  be  known  and  adored, 
is  first  and  principally  held  in  contemplation  by  the  Divine  Mind,  it  is  yet 
last  of  all  attained,  because  the  means  or  steps  requisite  to  promote  it  must 
of  necessity  precede. 

From  this  view  of  the  order,  according  to  which  all  the  divine  operations 
are  conducted,  it  may  plainly  appear,  that  no  angels  either  were  created,  or 
indeed  could  have  been  created  originally  as  ongeLi,  and  so  placed  immedi' 


256  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

and  did  exist  before  the  creation  of  the  world,  who  needs  no  sun 
to  lighten  his  steps,  because  he  is  the  light  itself,  and  who  stoops 
down  to  behold  the  things  which  are  in  time  and  space,  nay, 
which  are  in  the  heavens  above  time  and  space,  comes  not  within 
the  description  of  any  limited  intelligence,  whether  human  or  an- 
gelic ;  but  being  originally  and  independently  life  in  himself ,  and 
thus  truly  and  properly  self-existent,  can  be  considered  in  no 
other  light,  than  as  the  great  Builder  of  the  universe,  from  eter- 
nity to  eternity  the  same  unchangeable  and  adorable  God. 

Having  already  repeatedly  explained  the  distinction,  which  is 
observed  in  many  parts  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  between  the 
Father  and  the  Son,  the  Divinity  and  the  Humanity,  the  divine 
essence  and  the  divine  form,  the  divine  love  and  the  divine  wis- 
dom, the  divine  good  and  the  divine  truth,  it  is  the  less  necessary 
to  dwell  upon  it  on  the  present  occasion.  It  may  however  be 
proper  to  remark,  that,  as  the  assumption  of  the  human  nature 
in  the  world,  by  the  descent  of  the  Lord  in  the  capacity  of  divine 
truth  proceeding  from  divine  good  called  the  Father,  was  with 
him  a  state  of  humiliation,  or  obscuration  of  his  former  glory,  so 
the  return  of  the  same  to  the  Father,  or  the  reciprocal  unition  of 
the  Father  with  the  Son,  and  of  the  Son  with  the  Father,  is  what 
13  meant  by  the  glorification  both  of  the  one  and  the  other.^ 
Hence  it  is  written,  "  Now  is  the  Son  of  Man  glorified,  and  God 
"  is  glorified  in  him.  If  God  be  glorified  in  him,  God  shall  also 
''  glorify  him  in  himself,  and  shall  straiglitway  glorify  him,"  John 
xiii.  31,  32.     Again,  "  Whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  in  my  name,  that 

atelij  in  a  heavenly  or  angelic  state  of  perfection ;  neither  do  the  Scriptures 
any  where  teach  or  inculcate  such  a  doctrine  :  but  they  must  first  of  all  have 
been  so  formed,  as  to  acquire  a  kind  of  natural  basis  for  themselves,  not  only 
that  they  might  become  permanent  in  their  existence,  but  that  they  might 
:tIso/)-om  such  basis  he  successively  advancing  in  wisdom  and  happiness  to 
eternity.  And  hence  it  further  appears,  that  what  is  frst  in  point  of  time, 
is  last  in  point  of  dignity  and  consideration ;  and,  on  the  centrar}-,  that  what 
is  last  in  time,  is  yet  the  Jirst  in  end  or  view,  being  that  to  which  all  prior 
states  had  respect,  and  for  the  sake  of  which  they  were  permitted  to  exist. 
So  true,  even  in  this  respect,  are  the  words  of  our  Lord,  where  he  says,  "The 
"  last  shall  be  frst,  and  the  first  last,"  Matt.  sx.  16. 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  257 

"  will  I  do,  that  the  Father  may  be  glorified  in  the  «Siow,"  John 
xiv.  13.  And  again  "  Father,  the  hour  is  come  ;  glorify  thy  Son, 
<'  tliat  thy  Son  also  may  glorify  thee^^^  John  xvii.  1. 

Now  that  this  glory,  which  is  given  by  the  Father  to  the  Son, 
is  not  a  glory  transferred  from  himself  to  another  separate  and 
distinct  being,  which  would  be  the  case,  if  Jesus  were  not  one 
and  the  same  with  the  Father,  is  evident  also  from  the  solemn  de- 
claration of  Jehovah  by  the  prophet  Isaiah  :  "  I  am  Jehovah, 
"  that  is  my  name,  and  my  glory  will  I  not  give  to  another,''"'  Isa. 
xlii.  8.  It  follows  then,  w^hen  the  Father  glorified  the  Son,  that 
he  actually  and  literally  glorified  himself;  since  the  Father  and 
the  Son,  or  the  Divinity  and  the  Humanity,  together  constitute 
only  one  and  the  same  Divine  Person. 


[II6.3  John  xvii.  10.  "*5f/  mine  are  thine,  and  thine  are  mine^ 
*'  and  I  am  glorified  in  them." 

This  is  the  language  of  Jesus  to  the  Father,  and  it  involves 
all  that  has  been  said  on  similar  words  in  John  xvi.  15,  "  Jill 
"  things  that  the  Father  hath,  are  mine."  But  in  the  present  pas- 
sage iL  is  further  declared,  that  all  things,  which  belong  to  Jesus, 
are  also  the  Father's  :  by  which,  in  conjunction  with  the  other 
part  of  the  verse,  we  are  given  to  understand,  that  the  union  be- 
tween the  Father  and  the  Son,  or  the  Divinity  and  the  Humanity, 
was  mutual  and  reciprocal ;  and  consequently,  that,  as  all  the 
characters  of  Divinity  attach  to  the  Humanity,  so  on  the  other 
hand  all  the  characters  of  Humanity  do  in  like  manner  attach  to 
the  Divinity.  And  hence  we  conclude,  as  the  first,  the  last,  and 
the  greatest  of  all  revealed  truths,  being  that  to  which  all  others 
either  directly  or  indirectly  refer,  That  there  is  nothing  in  the 
divine  nature,  but  what  tends  to  the  human  form,  and  may  be  truly 
.said  to  be  humanized  in  the  divine  person  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ;  whileagain  there  is  nothing  in  the  human  nature, 
but  what  injiim  also  bears  the  character  and  impression  of  the 
divine  essence,  and  therefore  must  ever  be  regarded  as  entirely 

Kk 


258  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

divi nixed.  Thus  in  Jesus  Christ  alone  God  is  altogether  JIan, 
and  Man  is  altogether  God.  Sucli  is  the  doctrine  of  the  true 
Christian  religion  ;  and  any  thing  short  of  this  deserves  not  to  be 
honoured  with  the  name  of  Christ ianiti/. 

It  may  perhaps  be  supposed  from  the  verses  preceding  that 
above  explained,  that  tlie  words  mine  and  thine  refer  to  persons f 
and  not  to  things,  that  is,  to  those  disciples  wlio  followed  Jesus, 
and  who  are  said,  ver.  6,  to  have  been  given  to  him  by  the  Fa- 
ther out  of  the  world.  But  though  these  are  allowed  to  be  in- 
cluded in  the  expressions,  and  though,  as  the  first-fruits  of  the 
Christian  cliurch,  they  represented  all  who  were  afterwards  to 
become  Christians,  and  who  therefore  might  be  called  equally  the 
children  of  Jesus  and  of  the  Father  ;  yet  in  the  original  Greek  tlie 
words  are  in  the  neuter  gender,  and  clearly  imply,  that  all  things 
belonging  to  Jesus  are  the  property  of  the  Father,  and  that  all 
things  belonging  to  the  Father  are  in  like  manner  the  property 
of  Jesus.  The  reciprocal  union  between  them,  like  that  of  the 
soul  with  the  body,  and  of  the  body  with  the  soul,  best  explains 
the  true  meaning  of  the  passage. 


[lir.]  John  xviii.  So,  36,  37.  "  Pilate  called  Jesus,  and  said 
"unto  him,  Art  thou  the  King  of  the  Jews .^  Jesus  answered, 
^' My  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world:  if  my  kingdom  were  of  this 
"  world,  then  would  my  servants  fight;  that  I  should  not  be  de- 
"  livered  to  the  Jews.  Pilate  therefore  said  unto  him.  Art  thou 
"  a  R'ing  then  f  Jesus  answered,  Thou  gayest  that  I  am  a  King.^^ 


From  this  passage  it  appears  most  evidently,  that  Jesus  was 
a  King  ;  for  (agreeably  to  the  idiom  of  the  original  language) 
he  plainly  acknowledges  himself  to  be  such.  That  he  was  also 
the  King  of  the  Jews,  seems  equally  to  be  admitted  by  him  :  and 
the  superscription  upon  the  cross,  tliough  written  by  Pilate,  and 
objected  to  by  the  chief  priests,  John  xix.  21,  perfectly  coincides 
with  the  title  and  character  given  him  at  the  time  of»his  birth  by 
the  wise  mea,  who  came  from  the  east  to  Jerusalem,  saying, 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  259 

**  "Where  is  he  that  is  born  King  of  the  Jews  ?  for  we  have  seen 
"his  star  in  the  east,  and  are  come  to  worship  him,^^  Matt.  ii.  2. 
It  agrees  again  with  the  words  of  the  prophet  referred  to  and  con- 
firmed by  the  Evangelists,  where  it  is  written,  "  Rejoice  greatly, 
''  O  daughter  of  Zion ;  shout,  0  daughter  of  Jerusalem:  behold, 
''  thy  King  cometh  unto  thee  :  he  is  just,  and  having  salvation, 
**  lowly,  and  riding  upon  an  ass,  and  upon  a  colt  the  foal  of  an 
"  ass,"  Zech.  ix.  9.  Matt.  xxi.  5.  John  xii.  15.  But  at  the  same  time 
Jesus  declares,  tliat  his  kingdom  is  not  of  this  icorld.  Then  it 
must  be  of  the  spiritual  world  ;  for  there  are  only  two  worlds  in 
existence,  the  spiritual  and  the  natural.  In  the  natural  world 
there  are  many  kings  ;  but  in  the  spiritual  world  there  is  only 
One  King,  and  he  is  called  King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of  lords. 
The  title  is  truly  applicable  to  the  ever-living  Jehovah  of  hosts, 
whom  David  calls  "  a  great  King  above  all  gods,"  Ps.  xcv.  3  : 
and  yet  it  is  expressly  given  to  Jesus  as  the  Lamb,  Apoc.  xvii. 
14 ;  and  again  to  the  same  Jesus  as  the  Wokd,  under  the  de- 
scription of  a  Man,  chap.  xix.  16. 

If  now  Jesus  assumes  to  himself  the  title  and  character  of 
King,  and  further  declares,  that  his  kingdom  is  established  in  that 
world  where  all  is  spiritual,  and  above  what  is  natural ;  and  if 
moreover  it  appears  from  other  testimonies  of  Holy  Writ,  as  well 
as  from  the  reasonableness  of  the  thing  itself,  that  there  is  oiily 
One  King  of  saints  and  angels,  and  that  the  great  Jehovah  him- 
self is  that  King ;  then  no  other  conclusion  can  be  drawn  from 
the  premises,  than  that  Jesus  and  Jehovah  are  one  and  the  same 
eternal  and  omnipotent  King  of  Glory. 

This  great  doctrine,  however,  though  most  evidently  the  very 
truth  of  divine  revelation,  we  are  sensible  will  not  be  admitted 
by  every  professor  of  the  Christian  name.  For  with  some  minds 
an  almost  insuperable  objection  lies  against  the  possibility  of  any 
being  in  the  form  of  a  Man  exercising  the  just  prerogatives  of 
Deity.  And  although  tliese  are  expressly  ascribed,  in  many  pai  ts 
of  the  Scriptures,  to  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  still  an  incredu- 
lous abatement  in  the  acknowledgment  of  his  high  title  too  often 
leaves  no  other  idea  of  his  person,  than  that  of  simple  humanity. 
Tt  is  now  «s  it  was  in  ancient  times:  when  the  first  king  of  Israel 


AGO  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

was  announced  and  proclaimed  to  the  people,  "  the  cliildren  of 
"  Belial  said,  How  shall  this  Man  save  us  ?  And  they  despised 
«  him,  and  brought  him  no  presents,^''  1  Sam.  x.  27.  So  in  the 
present  day  also,  when  the  Great  Personage,  whom  Saul  and  the 
other  kings  of  Israel  represented,  is  actually  announced  and  pro- 
claimed to  Christians  as  their  rightful  and  only  Sovereign,  too 
many  are  to  be  found  among  them,  who  in  like  manner  may  be 
said  to  despise  him,  to  with-hold  from  him  their  expected  pre- 
sents of  allegiance  and  worship,  and  in  spirit  to  say,  "  How  can 
*'  this  Man  save  us  .►"'  "  We  will  not  have  this  Man  to  reign 
*'  over  us,"  Luke  xix.  14. 

And  here,  as  an  occasion  is  given,  we  are  led  to  notice  an  opi- 
nion very  prevalent  among  both  Unitarians  and  Trinitarians,  re- 
lative to  the  kingdom,  of  which  our  Saviour  speaks,  and  of  which 
also  he  claims  to  be  the  great  King.  The  Apostle  Paul,  in  his 
first  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  chap.  xv.  24  to  28,  observes  con- 
cerning Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  that  he  will,  at  the  period  call- 
ed the  end,  which  he  appears  to  fix  at  or  soon  after  his  second 
advent,  "  deliver  up  the  kingdom  to  God  even  the  Father ;  when 
"  he  shall  have  put  down  all  rule,  and  all  authority  and  power. 
"  For  (he  continues)  he  must  reign  %intil  he  hath  put  all  enemies 
"  under  his  feet."  And  he  concludes  this  view  of  the  subject  bj 
saying,  that,  "  when  all  things  shall  be  subdued  unto  him,  then 
"  shall  the  Son  also  himself  be  subject  unto  him  (the  Father  J 
^'  that  put  all  things  under  him,  that  God  may  be  all  in  alV^ 

From  the  terms  and  manner,  in  which  this  passage  is  express- 
ed, three  things  have  been  inferred,  which  are  as  follow;  1.  That 
Jesus  is  a  King.  2.  That  he  will  continue  to  reign  as  a  King  in 
Ms  Kingdom  for  a  certain  period  only,  viz.  until  he  shall  have 
put  down  all  rule,  authority,  and  power,  that  is,  until  he  shall 
have  conquered  and  subdued  all  his  enemies.  And,  5.  That,  af- 
ter this  great  work  shall  have  been  accomplished  by  him,  then  he 
himself  (the  Son)  shall  resign  his  power,  his  authority,  and  his 
crown,  and  become  subject  to  God  the  Father,  in  common  with 
the  rest  of  his  children,  in  order  that  God  may  be  all  in  all ;  in 
other  words,  that  Jesus,  after  having  been  advanced  to  princely 
power  and  pre-eminence  over  the  rest  of  liis  brethren  for  a  limited 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &,c.  S6l 

time,  shall  in  the  end  resign  his  honours,  or  be  deprived  of  his 
high  distinction,  that  no  other  being  but  the  Supreme  Gad  him- 
self maj  be  contemplated  and  adored.* 

•  The  late  learned  Dr.  Anseim  Bailt,  who  wjts  Sub-Dean  of  Westminster, 
»nd  a  great  advocate  for  the  doctrine  of  a  trinity  of  divine  persons  in  the 
Godhead,  very  frequently  had  occasion  to  visit  me  when  I  lived  in  Clerken- 
well,  London.  Many  times  did  the  Doctor  expatiate  on  the  great  advantages 
derived  from  the  merits  and  sufferings  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  second  person 
(as  he  called  him)  in  the  divine  trinity;  and  from  his  mediation  and  inter- 
cession with  the  Father  in  behalf  of  his  people,  which  he  said  would  be  con- 
tinued in  iheit  favour  even  after  they  were  comfortably  settled  in  heaven. 
On  a  particular  occasion,  "  Oh !"  exclaimed  he  in  rapture,  "  when  I  arriij« 
"  in  the  other  world,  how  I  will  magnify  and  adore  the  Saviour  of  the  world 
"  Jesus  Christ  for  his  goodness  in  consenting  to  die,  in  order  that  he  might 
*'  appease  the  Father's  wrath,  or  at  least  avert  it  from  falling  upon  the  heads 
"  of  the  guilty !  I  shall  think  of  nothing  else,  but  how  I  may  extol  his  name, 
"  who  has  already  done  so  much  for  us,  and  who  still  undertakes  to  be  our 
**  perpetual  advocate  !" 

On  asking  him,  whether  he  conceived,  that  the  mediatory  office  of  Jxsus 
Christ  would  ever  cease ;  and  how  he  understood  that  passage  in  Paul, 
where  it  is  written,  "  Then  cometh  the  end,  when  he  shall  have  delivered 
"  up  the  kingdom  to  the  Father ;  and  when  the  Son  also  himself  shall  be  sub- 
"  ject  unto  the  Father,  that  God  may  be  all  in  all:"  he  replied,  still  in  a 
strain  of  uncommon  rapture,  *'  O  yes  !  the  power  and  kingdom  of  Christ 
"  will  continue  «?Ui7  all  enemies  are  subdued;  and  then,  introducing  us  Into 
*•  the  immediate  presence  oi  h.\s  Father,  he  will  resign  his  cA«rfe,  andwe  shall 
"  be  so  fillsd  with  a  sense  of  the  supreme  dignity  and  majesty  of  the  Father, 
"  that  no  other  person  or  object  will  ever  more  be  able  to  engage  our  atten- 
"  tlon:  in  short,  as  the  Apostle  says,  God  himself  will  be  all  in  all!" 

Here  the  Doctor's  eyes,  countenance,  and  hands,  were  all  lifted  up  towards 
the  skies  ;  and  so  full  of  extasy  did  he  appear  to  be  in  the  contemplation  of 
his  subject,  that  I  thought  he  was  almost  ready  to  start  avay,  that  he  might 
dnter  upon  it's  immediate  enjoyment,  and  leave  behind  him  nothing  but  the 
shell  of  his  spirit,  that  is  to  say,  his  material  body,  as  a  subject  for  my  contem- 
plation!  Not  willing,  however,  that  my  friend  should  take  his  leave  of  mo 
in  so  abrupt  a  manner,  I  ventured  to  recal  him  from  the  clouds  by  putting  to 
him  the  following  questions:  "Well,  Doctor;  but  after  this  great  event 
"  shall  have  taken  place,  and  God  the  Father,  as  you  say,  shall  actually  have 
"  been  hailed  and  acknowledged  by  the  human  race  as  their  all  in  all;  what 
*  is  then  to  become  of  Jesus  Christ?     When  all  his  services  shall  have  been 


262  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

Such  are  supposed  to  be  the  sentiments  of  the  Apostle  Pau« 
concerning  the  Son  of  God :  and  many  have  on  this  ground,  or 

•*  performed ;  when  all  his  sufferings,  his  merits,  his  mediation  and  intcr- 
"  cession,  shall  have  been  crowned  with  the  long-desired  success,  in  restor- 
"  ing  to  divine  favour  the  rebellious  children  of  men ;  what  are  to  be  the 
*'  final  honours,  which  will  be  awarded  to  him?  Is  he  at  last  to  mix  in  th* 
*'  crowd  of  blessed  spirits,  nndistiitffuished,  unnoticed,  and  forgotten  ?  Or  is 
"  he  to  stand  near  but  behind  the  throne  of  his  Father,  in  company  with  the 
"  Holy  Ghost,  a  silent  and  neglected  spectator  of  the  happiness  of  millions, 
"  whose  enjoyments  now  so  completely  fill  their  minds,  as  to  leave  no  room 
"  for  any  recollections  o^ gratitude  and  love  to  their  once  adored  Benefactor  ? 
"  In  short,  is  the  Saviour  of  mankind,  after  having  uctually  saved  them,  at  last 
"  to  be  deprived  of  the  honour  and  the  glory  of  having  effected,  even  upon 
"  your  own  system,  what  no  other  being  in  the  universe  could  have  accom- 
"plished?" 

No  sooner  were  these  questions  seriously  proposed  to  the  Doctor,  than  he 
suddenly  fell  from  the  elevation,  to  which  the  warmth  of  his  imagination  had 
before  raised  him;  and,  with  his  feet  now  fixed  upon  the  plain  but  firm  ground 
of  common  sense,  he  began  to  walk  as  it  were  in  a  new  path ;  while  I  could 
perceive  some  of  the  scales,  formed  by  the  old  and  deservedly  to  be  explod- 
ed science  of  school  theology,  beginning  to  drop  from  his  eyes.  "  I  fear," 
(says  he,  in  a  tone  of  voice  now  lowered  to  the  pitch  of  thoughtful  reflec- 
tion,) "  I  fear  there  is  some  error,  some  co7>fusio7i  in  this  business :  we  have 
"  been  led  to  take  the  words  of  Paul  in  their  common  acceptation,  just  as 
•'  they  present  themselves  to  the  eye,  without  sufiiciently  considering  how 
"  far  the  sense  we  put  upon  them  is  consistent  or  inconsistent  even  witli  our 
"  own  views  of  the  character  and  offices  of  Jesus  Christ.  I  now  begin  to  sec, 
"  that  our  doctrine  of  the  trinity,  and  the  consequences  of  that  doctrine,  arc 
"  not  quite  so  reconcileable  to  themselves,  to  the  reason  of  the  thing,  and  per- 
"  haps  to  the  Scriptures,  as  we  hare  generally  supposed  them  to  be.  But 
"  what  can  we  do?  The  sentiments  I  have  been  stating  concerning  the  offi- 
"  ces  of  Christ,  their  duration,  and  termination,  are  so  interwoven  with 
"  Christianity,  that  I  do  not  see  how  they  can  be  separated  from  it.  And 
"  though  in  some  respects  they  appear  contradictory  to  it  likewise,  yet  we 
"  cannot  altogether  give  them  up,  lest  we  should  at  tliesame  time  part  with 
"  the  trutl)  itself:  for  in  these,  as  in  many  other  points,  we  are  surrounded 
"  with  inexplicable  difficulties." 

I  concluded  the  conversation  by  telling  him,  that  the  difficulties,  of  which 
he  complained,  were  all  of  his  own  church's  tri-personal  manufacture;  tluit 
Christianity  itself  was  perfectly  free  from  them,  being  a  system  of  pure,  Iwsb- 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  263 

from  his  authority,  confirmed  themselves  in  the  idea,  that  Jesus 
Is  no  other  than  a  mere  man,  or  a  mere  angel,  or  at  any  rate,  if 
at  all  a  participator  in  divinity,  no  more  than  a  mere  subordinate 
organ  of  Deity,  equally  bound  with  every  other  order  of  rational 
and  intelligent  beings,  to  yield  a  final  reverence  and  obedience 
to  him  who  is  called  the  Father.  They  will  allow  indeed,  be- 
cause they  cannot  deny  what  is  so  plainly  written  in  the  Gospels, 
that  "  the  Father  loveth  the  Son,  and  hath  given  all  things  into 
"  his  hand,^^  John  iii.  35 ;  that  "  all  things  that  the  Father  hath, 
"  are  his,"  John  xvi.  15 ;  and  that  "  all  power  is  given  unto  him 
"  in  heaven  and  in  earth,"  Matt,  xxviii.  18.  Yet  they  will  insist 
also,  that  this  great  power  and  authority  are  only  delegated  or  lent 
to  him  for  a  time,  not  as  a  matter  of  right,  but  o(  favour  and  re- 
ivard ;  and  that  when  the  end  shall  come,  then  he  will  be  most 
ungraciously  stripped  of  his  temporary  honours,  and  will  return 
back  into  the  hands  of  his  Father  all  that  he  had  previously  re- 
ceived from  him.  Thus,  not  content  with  proclaiming  what  may 
be  considered  as  a  kind  of  revolution  in  the  government  of  hea- 
ven, by  the  transfer  of  divine  royalty  from  the  Supreme  God  to 
one  of  his  subjects,  or  at  least  to  one  of  lower  rank  than  himself, 
they  call  out  for  the  assistance  of  Paul  to  support  them  in  their 
indigested  scheme  of  a  counter-revolution,  by  dethroning  Jesus, 
and  again  attempting  to  set  up  in  his  room  an  invisible  King, 
called  the  Father,  whom  no  man,  whom  no  angel,  ever  did  see, 
or  ever  can  see,  upon  the  imperial  throne  of  the  universe. 

That  some  such  conclusion,  as  that  here  stated,  apparently  fol- 
lows from  the  language  used  by  Paul,  cannot  be  denied  :  and  it 
is  perhaps  doing  no  injustice  to  that  great  Apostle  to  suppose  it 
•possible,  that  he  might  for  once,  while  writing  on  the  subject,  have 
suffered  his  imagination  to  conceive,  with  Philip,  that  besides  and 
above  Jesus  Christ  there  was  still  another  greater  Being,  called 
the  Father,  who  in  the  end  was  alone  to  receive  the  worship  and 
homage  of  the  whole  creation.    But  if  he  did  for  a  moment  so 

venly  truth,  calculated,  beyond  every  other  known  religion  in  the  world,  to  en- 
lighten the  human  understanding,  and  to  bless  mankind  with  the  knowledge 
©f  the  one  oftly  true  God  Jrsrs  CanrsT. 


264  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

conceive  of  Jesus,  and  of  his  kingdom,  it  may  well  be  asked. 
From  what  part  of  Holy  Scripture  did  he,  or  could  he,  collect 
such  an  idea  ?  The  passage,  which  most  evidently  he  has  in  view, 
when  he  first  starts  the  subject,  is  that  in  David,  where,  speaking 
of  Jesus,  or  what  is  the  same  thing,  of  the  Humanity  called 
Lord,  which  was  to  be  assumed  and  glorified  by  the  Divinity 
called  Jehovah,  he  introduces  tlie  one  as  addressing  the  other, 
for  the  sake  of  more  distinct  and  perfect  description,  in  these 
words:  "  Jehovah  said  unto  my  Lord,  Sit  thou  at  my  right 
"  hand,  until  I  make  thine  enemies  thy  footstool,"  Ps.  ex.  1.  To 
sit  at  the  right  hand  of  Jehovah,  is  to  be  vested  with  omnipo' 
ience  ;  such  being  the  oriental  and  scriptural  mode  of  expressing 
the  acquisition  of  divine  power  by  the  Humanity,  after  it's  as- 
sumption, and  on  it's  glorification.  This  acquisition  of  divine 
power  plainly  characterizes  Jesus  as  a  King  f  and  therefore  the 
first  inference,  deducible  from  the  words  of  the  Psalmist,  and  from 
those  of  the  Apostle,  is  clearly  established. 

But  it  is  said,  in  the  second  place,  that  he  will  continue  to 
reign,  or  to  sit  at  the  right  hand  of  Jehovah,  until  his  enemies 
are  subdued,  and  become  his  footstool.  It  is  perhaps  possible, 
that  this  manner  of  speaking  may  have  suggested  the  idea  of  some 
period  or  limitation  being  put  to  the  duration  of  our  Lord's  king- 
dom :  for  it  may  be  argued,  that  he  will  remain  in  power  only  un- 
til his  enemies  are  brought  into  subjection ;  and  that  then,  as  ex- 
pressed in  the  third  inference  or  conclusion,  he  will  give  up  the 
kingdom  to  the  Father,  that  God  may  be  all  in  all ;  by  which  is 
understood,  that  he  will  no  longer  be  King,  when  the  purposes, 
for  which  he  was  appointed  to  that  office,  have  been  fully  accom- 
plished. Such  an  intei'pretation  of  the  passage,  however,  is  to- 
tally inconsistent  with  the  many  other  declarations  of  Scripture, 
which  all  agree  in  representing  the  kingdom  of  our  Lord  as  eter- 
nal in  ifs  duration.  (See  Apoc.  i.  8,  11,  17,  18;  chap.  v.  13; 
chap.  xi.  15.  John  iii.  SO;  chap.  x.  28;  and  many  others*)  And 
even  Paul  himself,  who  in  one  place  talks  of  the  vSon  giving  up 
the  kingdom  to  the  Father,  apparently  as  though  he  were  to  re- 
sign it  to  some  superior  Being,  in  another  place  quotes  the  au- 
thority of  the  inspired  Psalmist  to  prove  the  contravy.    "  The 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  265 

<•<  Father  saith  unto  the  Son,  Thy  throne,  O  God,  is  for  ever  and 
*<  erer,"  Heb.  i.  8.  Ps.  xlv.  6.  And  again,  speaking  of  Jesus 
Christ,  he  says,  "  This  Man  for  ever  sat  down  on  the  right 
"  hand  of  God,"  Heb.  x.  12.  Ps.  ex.  1.  Paul  could  not,  there- 
fore, in  any  consistency  with  himself,  have  meant,  that  the  power 
and  kingdom  of  Jesus  were  to  continue  only  for  a  limited  time  : 
but,  when  he  quotes  the  Scripture,  which  says,  that  the  Son 
should  sit  down  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father,  until  his  enemies 
were  subdued,  he  must  be  understood,  in  agreement  with  the  ge- 
nuine doctrine  of  the  Word,  to  mean,  that,  as  the  kingdom  of  Sa- 
tan  will  he  for  ever  opposed  to  the  kingdom  of  Jesus,  or  the  king- 
dom of  darkness  for  ever  opposed  to  the  kingdom  of  light,  so  the 
divine  omnipotence  of  Jesus  will  for  ever  remain  in  full  ex- 
ercise, and  for  ever  keep  in  subjection  all  the  powers  of  the 
enemy. 

We  have  now  only  to  consider  the  third  inference,  which  sup- 
poses, that  the  Son  will  in  the  end  give  up  the  kingdom  to  the  Fa- 
flier,  that  God  may  be  all  in  all.  From  the  Sacred  Scriptures 
throughout,  as  well  as  from  many  parts  of  the  Epistles  of  the  dif- 
ferent Apostles,  and  particularly  from  those  of  Paul  himself, 
whose  language  we  are  now  about  to  explain,  it  appears  most 
evident,  that  the  kingdom  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ 
is  an  everlasting  kingdom,  and  his  dominion  both  in  heaven  and 
on  earth  a  dominion  which  shall  not  j)ass  away.  The  Apostle 
Paul,  that  zealous  and  faithful  servant  of  Jesus  Christ,  never 
could  have  intended  to  teach  the  contrary.  If  such  a  sentiment  or 
doctrine  could  be  fairly  and  incontrovertibly  charged  upon  him,  it 
would  be  evidence  that  he  knew  not  the  real  character  of  his  Di- 
vine Master,  any  more  than  Philip  did,  when  he  said  unto  Jesus, 
"  Lord,  shew  us  the  Father,  and  it  sufficeth  us."  To  whom  Je- 
sus answered,  "  Have  /been  so  long  time  with  you,  and  yet  hast 
"  thou  not  known  me,  Philip  ?  he  that  hath  seen  me,  hath  seen  the 
"  Father  ;  and  how  sayest  thou  then.  Shew  us  the  Father  .^"  John 
xiv.  8,  9.  But,  as  before  observed,  the  words  of  Paul  must  be 
understood  in  agreement  with  the  doctrine  of  Paul,  collected 
from  other  parts  of  his  writings,  and  especially  in  agreement  with 
tiie  Scriptures  of  divine  tri^th. 


266  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  0^ 

Now  Paul  testifies  of  Jesus  Christ,  that  "  he  is  the  same  yei- 
iiterday,  and  to-daij^  and  for  grer."  lleb.  xiii.  8  ;  consequently, 
if  once  a  King,  (1  Tim.  vi.  15.)  that  lie  is  and  will  be  for  ever  a 
King  ;  if  once  entitled  to  the  adoration  of  angels  and  men,  (Heb. 
i.  6.)  that  he  is  and  will  be /or  ever  entitled  to  it;  and  therefore, 
if  once  acknowledged  to  be  the  Supreme  Head  of  his  church, 
(Coloss.  i.  18.)  nay,  the  Supreme  God  of  the  universe,  as  by  his 
title  of  •'•  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  First  and  the  Last,  who  was, 
*' who  is,  and  who  is  to  come,  the  Almighty,"  (Apoc.  i.  8,  11, 
17.)  he  most  undoubtedly  must  be,  that  he  will  for  ever  and  for 
ever  singly  and  alone  fill  up  the  throne  of  heaven,  and  receive, 
as  his  exclusive  right,  the  final  homage  of  every  heart  and  every 
tongue.  The  language  of  Paul,  therefore,  is  to  be  understood  in 
the  following  manner. 

The  term  Father,  as  we  have  often  had  occasion  to  observe  in 
this  work,  is  expressive  of  the  divine  love,  the  divine  good,  or 
"what  is  tantamount  thereto,  the  Divinity  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ  :  and  the  term  Son  is  expressive  of  the  divine  wis- 
dom, tlie  divine  truth,  or  what  is  equivalent  thereto,  the  Humani- 
ty of  tlie  same  Lord.  Now  in  the  church,  which  has  existed  ever 
since  the  days  of  the  Apostles,  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  has 
been  acknowledged,  and  occasionally  worshipped,  in  no  other 
character  than  as  the  Son  of  God :  and  hence,  while  allowed  to 
bear  rule  in  heaven  and  in  the  church,  he  has  been  considered 
rather  as  an  authorized  Regent,  than  as  an  independent  Monarch  ; 
rather  as  the  King^s  Son,  than  as  the  Great  King  Himself.  How- 
ever, being  entrusted  for  a  time  with  the  sceptre  of  the  kingdom, 
he  has  acquired  the  name  and  the  honour  of  a  King,  yet  always 
■with  some  degree  of  abatement  and  reserve,  from  respect  to  an- 
other Being  supposed  to  be  his  superior,  in  vvhose  name,  and  by 
■whose  authority,  he  holds  the  reins  of  government  merely  in  trust 
for  his  Father.  Such  appears,  from  an  impartial  view  of  the  state 
of  the  Christian  churcli  as  to  it's  acknowledgment  of  Jesus 
Christ,  to  have  been  the  kind  of  dominion,  which  he  has  hither- 
to obtained  among  it's  professed  members. 

But  on  the  commencement  of  the  New  Church,  called  the  New 
Jerusalem,  which  is  also  the  grand  era  of  the  Lord's  second  ad- 


UNITARIANS,  tRINITARrAN^,  &c.  267 

vent,  an  extraordinary  change  takes  place  in  every  thing  tliat  has 
reference  to  Christian  doctrine  and  worship.  For  our  Saviour 
then,  agreeably  to  his  own  words,  John  xvi.  25  to  27,  enters  upon 
•dn  entirely  7iew  character :  instead  of  being  regarded,  and  ad- 
dressed, as  heretofore,  in  the  capacity  merely  of  a  Son  subordi- 
nate to  the  Father,  or  as  a  distinct  Mediator  between  God  and 
man,  he  is  now  acknowledged  and  worshipped  as  God  the  Father 
himself,  who  loves  all  his  children,  and  needs  no  other  mediation 
or  intercession,  than  what  his  own  Divine  Humanity  supplies. 
And  thus  the  prediction  of  Paul  likewise  is  verified  and  accom- 
plished, where  he  says,  "  Then  cometh  the  end,"  (that  is,  the  end 
of  the  former  church,  and  the  beginning  of  the  New  Church,) 
"  when  he  shall  have  delivered  up  the  kingdom  to  God  even  the 
"Father;  and  when  the  Son  also  himself  shall  be  subject  unto 
"the  Father,  that  God  may  be  all  in  all,"  1  Cor.  xv.  24,  28  :  By 
which  may  be  understood  the  full  completion  and  winding  up  of 
all  prophecy,  and  of  all  former  dispensations,  in  this  last  and 
greatest  of  events,  the  establishment  of  a  New  and  True  Chris- 
tian Chui-ch,  which  contains  within  itself  all  the  perfections,  the 
glories,  and  the  blessings  of  every  prior  revelation,  because  it 
carries  it's  acknowledgment  of  the  One  Incarnate  God  to  the 
highest  possible  degree  of  elevation,  by  worshipping  and  adoring 
him,  not  merely  as  the  Son,  or  as  a  Mediator  between  God  and 
man,  but  as  Jehovah  Himself,  the  all-merciful  and  omnipotent 
Father  of  all  being. 

Under  this  view  of  the  subject,  therefore,  the  Son  may  now  be 
said  to  have  already  actually  given  up  the  kingdom  to  the  Father, 
because  now  Jesus  Christ  is  acknowledged  to  be  alone  the  Fa- 
ther, and  because  he  will  henceforth  reign  in  his  church,  not  in 
any  subordinate  capacity,  as  the  term  Son  or  Mediator  may  seem 
to  imply,  but  as  the  one  only  Sovereign  Lord  of  heaven  and 
earth,  the  adorable  Parent  of  angels  and  men,  to  whom  all 
things  in  the  universe  owe  their  birth,  and  by  whom  they  are  still 
from  moment  to  moment  upheld  in  their  existence. 

But  there  is  another  sense,  perfectly  consistent  with  tlie  above, 
though  applicable  to  the  progressive  states  of  individual  minds  in 
the  work  of  regeneration,  in  which  it  may  with  truth  be  said,  that 


268  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

the  Son  or  divine  truth  will  give  up  the  kingdom  of  the  Father  cr 
divine  good.  During  all  the  stages  of  reformation  and  regenera- 
tion, which  lead  to  the  love  and  the  life  of  goodness,  mercy,  and 
charity,  man  is  chiefly  under  the  influence,  direction,  government, 
and  authority  of  divine  truth,  that  is,  in  the  kingdom  and  under 
the  dominion  of  the  Lord  as  the  Son.  But  when  his  regeneration 
has  advanced  so  far,  as  to  give  him  an  entrance  into  what  is  call- 
ed the  seventh  day's  state,  or  the  sabbath  of  rest,  he  then  no  lon- 
ger acts  from  the  knowledge  of  truth  in  his  understanding,  or 
from  a  consideration  of  what  is  commanded,  in  opposition  to  his 
natural  propensities  and  inclinations  ;  but  all  his  thoughts,  words, 
and  actions,  are  brought  under  the  happy  influence  of  love,  chari- 
iy,  and  heavenly  affection.  In  this  state  he  does  from  pleasure 
and  inclination  the  things,  which  heretofore  he  found  a  difficulty 
or  labour  in  performing;  he  altogether  loses  sight  of  the  cross, 
and  sees  before  him  nothing  but  happiness  and  heaven.  In  short, 
he  acts  from  a  higher  and  more  interior  spring  of  life,  than  he  did 
before,  namely,  from  a  full-wrought,  sensible  conviction  or  per- 
ception, that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  sole  fountain  of  divine  mercy 
and  goodness,  thus  from  a  kind  of  instinctive  acknowledgment  of 
him  as  a  Father,  a  bountiful  Parent,  and  protecting  Lord, 
rather  than  as  a  SaN,  a  Master,  a  Regent,  or  a  King.  And 
in  this  respect  likewise  it  may  be  truly  said,  that  the  end  being 
arrived,  or  the  work  of  regeneration  being  in  it's  kind  and  degree 
completely  effected,  the  Son  or  divine  truth  delivers  up  the  king- 
dom to  the  Father  or  divine  goodness  and  love  ;  and  all  for  this 
great  purpose,  that  man  may  live  for  ever  under  the  dominion 
and  influence  of  universal  benevolence,  good-will,  chanty,  and 
heavenly  affection,  regarding  science,  knowledge,  and  understand- 
ing, comparatively  as  mere  servants  ,•  or,  in  other  words,  that 
divine  love,  called  the  Father,  may  in  him  and  around  him  be  all 
in  all. 

Having  now  seen  what  is  meant  by  the  Son  giving  up  the  king- 
dom to  the  Fatlier,  both  in  a  particular  and  in  a  general  sense, 
and  that  in  neither  of  them  does  it  imply  any  difference  as  to  per- 
son between  the  Fatlier  and  the  Son,  but  only  different  states  or 
stages  of  regeneration,  and  ditferent  kinds  or  degrees  of  acknow- 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  269 

ie^gment  and  worship  of  one  and  the  same  Incarnate  God  Jesus 
Christ,  first  in  his  character  of  S071  of  God,  and  lastly  in  that 
of  Father  J  or  the  Most  High  God  himself ;  let  us  never  more  hear 
of  any  such  distinction  between  them,  as  would  either  elevate  the 
Father  above  the  Son,  so  as  to  make  of  him  a  separate  and  origi- 
nal God,  or  degrade  the  Son  below  tlie  Father,  so  as  to  make  of 
him  a  second-rate  or  subordinate  Deity,  much  less  a  finite  crea- 
ture of  human  or  even  angelic  denomination  :  but  let  us  for  ever 
identify  them,  in  our  doctrine  and  in  our  worship,  as  One  Di- 
vine Person  alone,  the  Father  being  like  the  invisible  soul,  and 
the  Son  like  the  visible  body,  which  will  never  admit  of  separa- 
tion, because  they  are  eternally  united  in  One. 

From  all  that  has  been  observed,  then,  on  this  subject,  it  ap- 
pears, that  no  higher  dispensation  can  possibly  be  given,  than  that 
which  now  descends  from  heaven  :  for  the  Creator  cannot  mani- 
fest himself  to  man  in  any  more  exalted,  and  at  the  same  time  in 
any  more  tender  relation,  than  that  of  Sovereign  Lord,  Merci- 
ful Parent,  and  Blessed  Husband  of  his  church,  united  as 
these  godlike  characters  are  in  the  Divine  Human  Person  of  our 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ.  It  was  in  reference  chiefly  to  this  great 
revelation,  of  which  former  ages  of  the  Christian  church  appear 
to  have  been  entirely  ignorant, perhaps  also  entirely  unsusceptible, 
as  well  as  the  primitive  disciples  whom  our  Lord  addressed,  that 
he  says,  "  I  have  yet  many  things  to  say  unto  you  ;  but  ye  can- 
*^not  bear  them  noiv,^^  John  xvi.  12.  And  again,  "  These  things 
"  have  I  spoken  unto  you  in  proverbs  :  the  time  comeih,  when  I 
"  shall  no  more  speak  unto  you  in  proverbs,  but  /  shall  shew  you 
"  plainly  of  the  Father,''^  ver.  25.  Never  from  the  days  of  these  dis- 
ciples to  the  present  times  has  that  direct  and  plain  knowledge 
of  the  Father,  here  spoken  of,  been  communicated  to  the  church, 
otherwise  than  in  the  language  of  the  Word,  except  only  in  and 
through  the  medium  of  the  heavenly  doctrines  of  the  New  Jeru- 
salem. For  never  has  it  been  known  by  Christians,  so  called, 
any  more  than  by  Deists  and  Materialists,  that  the  Father  was 
any  other  than  an  invisible  and  universally  extended  Being,  with- 
out any  thing  of  the  human  form,  but  rather  resembling  nature  in 
it's  first  or  interior  principles.     Still  less  have  they  understood 


270  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

and  believed,  that  Jesus  Christ  is  himself  the  Father,  althour'^li 
he  is  expressly  declared  to  be  so  both  by  the  prophet  Isaiah  in  the 
Old  Testament,  and  by  his  own  lips  in  the  New. 

The  doctrine,  therefore,  which  proclaims  the  supreme  and  ex- 
clusive Divinity  of  our  Lord,  making  him,  and  him  alone,  to  be 
ihe  Everlasting  Father,  as  well  as  the  Son  born  in  time,  and  af- 
terwards glorified  through  death  and  resurrection,  cannot  but  be 
hailed  in  the  church  as  the  full  and  final  completion  of  his  own 
prediction  relative  to  himself,  bringing  into  the  church  at  large, 
and  into  the  bosom  of  every  individual  member  of  the  same,  that 
high  and  unspeakable  reward  of  heavenly  peace  and  felicity, 
which  is  ever  attendant  on  the  acknowledgment  and  true  wor- 
ship  of  Jesus  Christ  alone  as  the  Supreme  God  over  all,  the 
Father,  Sovereign,  Husband,  Friend  of  his  people,  the  Lord 
OF  Lords,  and  King  of  Kings. 


[118.]  John  XX.  22,  23.  "Jesus  breathed  on  his  disciples,  and 
"  saith  unto  them,  Receive  ye  the  Hobj  Spirit.  Whose-soever 
"  sins  ye  remit,  tliey  are  remitted  unto  them  ;  and  whose-soever 
"  sins  ye  retain^  they  are  retained.''^ 


It  is  here  evident,  that  the  Holy  Spirit  is  the  j^^'oceedlng  opera-* 
tion,  influence,  or  virtue,  from  the  jpersono/ Jesus  now  glorified, 
by  having  passed  through  the  double  process  of  death  and  resur- 
rection. The  idea,  therefore,  of  ifs  being  a  distinct  person 
from  the  Father  and  the  Son,  as  one  man  is  a  distinct  person, 
from  another,  can  receive  no  support  from  a  passage  like  this ; 
but,  on  the  contrary,  is  refuted  as  a  glaring  error,  founded  on  a 
total  misapprehension  of  tliose  parts  of  divine  revelation,  where, 
in  agreement  with  the  oriental  and  most  ancient  style  of  writing, 
the  person'iflcaiion  of  tilings,  qualities,  attributes,  and  essential 
cliaracters,  is  so  Irequently  introduced,  for  the  sake  of  more  or- 
derly, distinct,  and  impressive  description.  We  pass  on,  then, 
to  another  very  extraordinary  and  highly  important  subject  of 
consideration. 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  ,271 

Jesus,  still  addressing  his  disciples,  (ten  in  number,  one  pro- 
bably being  dead,  Matt,  xxvii.  5.  Acts  i.  18;  and  another  absent, 
John  XX.  24.)  saith  unto  them,  "  Whose-soever  sins  T/eremif,  they 
"  are  remitted  unto  them  ;  and  whose-soever  sins  ye  retain,  thej 
'•  are  retained^'  It  was  matter  not  only  of  astonishment,  but 
also  of  offence,  to  the  scribes  and  Pharisees,  when  they  heard  Je- 
sus say  to  the  paralytic,  "  Man,  thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee  ;"  for 
they  immediately  began  to  reason  with  themselves,  saying,  "Who 
"  is  this  that  speaketh  blasphemies  ?  Who  can  forgive  sins,  but 
"  God  alone  ?^^  Luke  v.  20,  21.  But  what  would  they  have  said, 
had  they  heard  him  delegate  a  similar  power  to  his  disciples,  and 
authorize  them  also  to  remit  or  retain  sins,  as  a  privilege  conse- 
quent on  their  reception  of  the  Holy  Spirit  ?  They  must  have 
burned  in  their  hearts  with  rage  and  resentment  against  him,  who 
thus  aspired  after,  and  actually  exercised,  the  divine  prerogative 
of  communicating  to  his  church  and  people  a  power  over  all  their 
evils,  either  to  remand  them  to  their  proper  source,  which  is  to 
remit  them,  or  to  permit  them  still  to  have  dominion  in  the  human 
mind,  which  is  to  retain  them,  in  each  case  according  to  the  mea- 
sure and  degree  of  faith  directed  to,  or  with-held  from,  Jesus 
their  omnipotent  Lord.  And  it  is  to  be  feared,  that  in  the  present 
day  also  some  nominal  Christians  are  to  be  found,  who  can  no 
more  endure  the  idea  o^  Divinity  dwelling  in  Humanity,  than  their 
predecessors  the  scribes  and  Pharisees  could  of  old.  But  when 
we  learn,  as  an  incontestable  fact,  upon  the  authority  of  testimo- 
ny upon  testimony,  confirmed  by  miracle  upon  miracle,  that 
Jesus  did  really  and  truly  supply  his  disciples  with  a  power  far 
surpassing  that  of  mere  humanity,  in  what  kind  of  language  must 
we  describe  the  character  of  so  wonderful  a  Being  }  or  by  what 
name  must  we  distinguish  him  above  the  millions  that  bear  the 
form  of  Man  }  Can  he  be  any  other  than  the  true  God  made  ma- 
7iif  est  in  the  flesh,  a.n(\  thus  visiting,  redeeming,  and  saving  his 
people  ?  It  is  impossible. 

We  forbear  entering,  further  than  we  have  done,  into  the  spi- 
ritual sense  of  the  passage,  because  the  natural  sense  alone  is  suf- 
ficient to  establish  what  we  are  contending  for,  and  to  many  minds 


272  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

IS  more  satisfactory  evidence,  than  any  which  caa  bd  brought 
down  even  from  heaven  itself. 


[119.]  John  XX.  28,  29.  "And  Thomas  answered  and  said 
"  unto  him,  My  Lord,  and  my  God  !  Jesus  saith  unto  him,  Tho' 
*'  mas,  because  thou  hast  seen  me,  thou  hast  believed :  blessed  are 
"  they  that  have  not  seen,  and  yet  have  believed.^^ 


The  very  doctrine,  which  we  have  all  along  been  maintaining, 
sometimes  from  the  most  explicit  declarations  of  the  evangelical 
writers,  and  at  other  times  by  rational  deductions  from  the  various 
facts  and  ciscumstances  described  by  them,  again  breaks  out,  in 
the  passage  before  us,  with  all  it's  power  of  direct  and  unequivo- 
cal expression.  Tho^nas  acknowledges  in  the  plainest  terms,  that 
Jesus  is  his  Lord  and  his  God :  and  even  Thomas,  doubtful  and 
unbelieving  as  he  was  for  a  time,  now  takes  the  lead  of  all  the 
disciples  in  openly  professing  his  faith  in  the  incarnate  God  ;  he 
now  thinks  of  and  desires  to  worsliip  no  other  Lord,  no  other 
God,  than  Jesus  ! 

*'  Oh !  but !"  says  the  Unitarian,  "  this  was  only  a  sudden  ex- 
<*  clamation  of  Thomas,  in  consequence  of  a  most  unexpected  ap- 
*'  pearance,  which  perhaps  terrified,  at  the  same  time  that  it  as- 
"  tonished  him  ;  and  in  the  state  of  perturbation  of  mind,  which 
"  he  then  experienced,  it  was  natural  for  him  to  cry  out  as  he  did, 
*' just  as  any  other  person,  on  a  similar  occasion,  might  exclaim, 
"O  my  God.'^^  or  ^^  God  bless  me!  what  an  extraordinary 
"  sight !  I .'" 

This  is  the  way,  in  which  some  have  been  known  to  attempt 
the  assassination  of  one  of  the  plainest,  purest,  and  grandest 
truths  of  divine  revelation.  But  in  the  very  moment  of  attack 
the  knife  is  snatched  out  of  their  hand,  or  else  it  falls  harmless  to 
the  ground.  For  Jesus  adds,  in  full  approbation  of  the  faith,  the 
acknowledgment,  and  the  holy  exclamation  of  Thomas,  "  Tho- 
'•  mas,  because  thou  hast  seen  me,  thou  hast  believed :  blessed  are 
"  they  that  have  not  seen,  and  yet  have  believed.^^    To  ackaow- 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  5ic.  2*3 

^dge  Jesus,  then,  as  Lord  and  God,  is  plainly  what  is  meant  by 
believing  in  him,  or  by  having  a  true  faith :  and  never  can  this 
most  essential  doctriae  of  the  cliurch  be  lost  sight  of,  without 
losing  with  it  all  title  to  the  benefits  of  the  Christian  religion^ 

This  faith  in  the  Divinity  of  Jesus  difli'ers,  indeed,  in  different 
minds,  with  respect  to  quality  as  well  as  degree.  Yet  in  no  case 
can  it  be  unattended  with  heavenly  happiness,  because  with  the 
true  acknowledgment  of  the  Lord,  however  it  may  have  been 
formed,  there  arises  not  only  a  hope  of  future  bliss,  but  even  a 
present  sensation  of  interior  delight,  wluch  cannot  be  described. 
In  short,  heaven  itself  is  present  in  that  faith,  according  to  the 
number  and  quality  of  the  divine  truths,  wliicli  give  it  birth.  But 
the  great  blessing  appears  to  be  reserved  for  those,  who,  not  hav- 
ing had  the  opportunity,  no  nor  the  desire  of  any  extraordinary 
or  supernatural  communications,  are  content  to  exercise  those  ra- 
tional faculties,  with  which  they  have  been  favoured  by  a  kind  Pro- 
vidence, in  the  pursuit  and  examination  of  the  holy  truths  of  the 
Word,  that  they  may  be  the  better  enabled  to  perform  the  several 
duties  and  charities  of  life,  to  which  they  are  called  ;  not  doubt- 
ing, that,  whether  they  continue  in  the  natural  v/orld  for  a  longer 
or  for  a  shorter  period,  still  every  event  is  under  the  superintend- 
ing hand  of  a  merciful  Parent,  who  causes  every  thing  to  work 
together  for  good  to  those  who  love  him,  and  keep  his  command- 
ments. To  such  as  these,  who  have  an  interior  ferception  of  the 
Divinity  of  the  Lord,  formed  upon  rational  di\\{\  scriptural  '^vonwii^j 
without  the  adventitious  aid  of  external  miracles,  visions,  or  dis- 
courses with  the  dead,  and  who  to  such  faith  in  the  understand- 
ing unite  the  still  higher  and  more  essential  requisites  of  love, 
mercy,  and  universal  benevolence  in  the  heart  and  life,  does  our 
Lord  allude,  when  he  s..ys  to  Thomas,  "  Blessed  are  they  that 
"  have  not  seen,  and  yet  have  believed.''^ 


[120.3  "^^^^"^  ^^^*  ^^"     "  "^'^^  there  are  also  many  other  things 
'*  V'luch  Je6U9  did,  the.  which  if  they  should  be  M'ritten^rcr//  one, 

M  m. 


OT4  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

"  I  suppose  that  even  the  world  itself  could  not  contain  the  books' 
"  that  should  be  written.     Amen." 


How  beautifully  and  emphatically  does  this  wind  up  the  testi- 
mony of  tlie  four  Evangelists,  as  the  finishing  crown  to  all  their 
labours  in  raising  the  grand  edifice  of  the  Christian  religion,  the 
foundation  of  which  is  the  acknowledgment  of  Jesus  as  the  Son 
of  God,  while  the  last  precious  stone  of  the  superstructure  pro- 
claims him  the  infinite  and  eternal  Father  of  all.' 

The  works  of  Jesus  are  here  described  as  transcending  all  pos- 
yible  limitation,  and  consequently  as  absolutely  infinite :  and  this 
infinity  is  to  be  understood  not  so  much  in  respect  to  the  number 
of  distinct  acts,  externalbj  considered,  (for  no  doubt  these  might 
come  within  the  powers  of  notation,)  but  chiefly  in  respect  to 
their  quality,  as  originating  interiorly  in  infinite  /oi*«,  as  conduct- 
ed in  their  progress  by  infinite  wisdom,  and  as  performed  in  the 
external  by  infinite  power.  Let  us  only  essay  to  contemplate 
these  infinities  of  love,  wisdom,  and  power,  for  a  short  moment : 
beyond  that,  would  overwhelm  and  confound  the  highest  powers 
of  imagination. 

First,  then,  the  divine  love,  which  prompted  our  adorable  Sa- 
viour to  come  into  the  world  in  person,  to  bring  with  him 
redemption  and  salvation,  could  be  nothing  less  than  infinite, 
because  it  was  the  source  of  all  life  and  being,  and  because  it 
embraced  within  it's  view  all  of  the  human  race,  who  had  ever 
received  their  existence  from  his  creating  hand,  and  all  who 
should  for  ever  after  stand  in  relation  to  him  as  his  intelligent 
offspring.  Secondly,  his  divine  ivisdom,  which,  foreseeing  every 
actual,  every  possible  event  and  contingency,  provided  the 
means,  whereby  his  infinite  love  could  reach  it's  objects,  must  like- 
wise of  very  necessity  be  equally  infinite.  And,  thirdly,  his 
divine  power,  which  was  exercised  and  manifestly  exhibited  in  all 
the  external  acts  of  love  and  wisdom  united,  could,  like  them,  be 
no  other  than  infinite  also :  for  one  infinite  perfection  can  never 
be  displayed  except  in  full  union  with  all  others  of  like  nature 
and  quality  with  itself.  Hence  we  may  see,  that  every  distinct 
act  of  Jesus,  a§  containing  within  it  the  innumerable  things  of 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  275 

his  love  and  wisdom,  was  in  it's  essence  infinitely  divine.  How 
much  more  then,  if  possible,  must  we  ascribe  this  character  to  qi 
whole  series  of  benevolent,  instructive,  and  miraculous  opera- 
tions ! 

The  Evangelist  says,  that  were  every  one  of  the  things,  which 
Jesus  did,  expressly  and  distinctly  Avritten,  he  supposes  that 
even  "  the  world  itself  could  not  contain  the  books-  that  should  be 
"  written.^'  Many  have  wondered  at  the  loftiness  of  style  here 
assumed,  and  considering  the  language  as  highly  exaggerated,  and 
to  the  last  degree  hyperbolical,  have  set  the  whole  passage  down 
as  implying  no  more,  than  that  the  history  of  the  public  life  of 
Jesxis  is  very  briefly  narrated,  and  that  many,  many  more  well- 
authenticated  facts  might  have  been  brought  forward,  had  the 
writer  thought  it  necessary,  or  were  he  sufficiently  furnished  with 
the  documents  proper  for  the  purpose. 

But  this  contracted  view  of  the  subject  is  derogatory  from  the 
character  of  perfection,  to  which  every  part  of  the  Sacred  Scrip- 
ture is  entitled  :  nor  are  we  at  liberty  to  suppose,  that  mere  fi- 
gures of  speech,  whether  they  be  of  the  nature  of  metaphor,  or  of 
hyperbole,  or  of  any  other  rhetorical  embellishment,  can  find  a 
place  in  Writings,  every  sentiment  and  expression  of  which  is 
substantially  holy  and  divine.  We  must  therefore  understand  the 
Evangelist's  concluding  words,  like  all  other  parts  of  revelation, 
in  a  sense,  which  is  discoverable  only  by  the  science  of  correspon- 
dences :  for  being  originally  penned  according  to  the  rules  of  that 
science,  their  interior  contents  must  be  unfolded  by  the  same. 

By  this  science,  which  explains  the  analogy  between  things 
spiritual  and  things  natural,  we  learn,  that  thp  term  world  iu 
this  place  denotes  the  church  ;  that  the  term  books  implies  the 
interior  things  of  divine  revelation,  especially  in  reference  to  the 
Lord,  his  person,  character,  offices  and  acts  of  creation,  redemp- 
tion, and  salvation  ;  and,  lastly,  that  the  term  contain,  which  in 
the  natural  sense  evidently  involves  an  idea  of  space  and  matter, 
denotes,  when  elevated  and  applied  to  the  human  mind,  the  ca- 
pacity of  understanding  and  comprehending  the  things  offered  to 
it's  notice.  From  this  view  and  explanation  of  the  terms  made 
use  of,  it  is  easy  to  see  what  is  spiritually  understood  by  the 


276  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

norld  iUelf  being  unable  tn  contain  the  &ooA"s  that  might  be  written 
concerning  Jesus,  and  the  wonderful  works  of  his  omnipotent 
hand,  namely,  that  the  church  as  consisting  o^ finite  intelligences^ 
could  never  comprehend  the  full  extent  of  the  divine  love,  never 
fatho?n  the  abyss  of  the  divine  wisdom,  nor  ever  trace  out  all  the 
footsteps  of  the  divine  providence  and  power,  even  were  they 
made  known  to  it  by  any  other  revelation,  than  that  which  is  al- 
ready given. 

The  final  result,  therefore,  of  the  whole  testimony  here  adduc- 
ed, and  of  all  that  we  have  previously  advanced  in  these  pages^ 
is,  and  can  be  no  other  than,  the  following,  viz.  That  our  blessed 
Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  whose  person  and  character 
form  the  great  subject  of  all  revelation,  is  the  One  Only  Infinite^ 
Eternal,  Omnipotent,  Omniscient,  and  Omnipresent  Jehovah, 
the  Father,  Creator,  and  Preserver  of  all  worlds,  who,  in  his  di- 
vine mercy  and  love  to  his  helpless  children,  made  his  appear- 
ance among  them  as  a  Man  like  themselves,  that,  clothed  in  their 
own  nature,  he  might  first  in  the  capacity  of  Friend  and  Bro- 
ther, as  he  condescendingly  calls  himself,  er  in  that  of  Shep- 
herd of  their  souls,  lead  them  back  to  that  fountain  of  living  wa- 
ter, from  which  they  had  so  widely  departed ;  and  afterwards, 
when  they  had  listened  to  his  voice,  and  learnt  his  will,  that  he 
might,  as  the  last  proof  of  his  redeeming^  love  towards  them,  throw 
oft' the  veil  which  he  had  in  mercy  assumed,  and  shew  himself  at 
once,  in  all  the  majesty  and  glory  of  his  divine  person,  as  their 
adorable  Father,  hitherto  indeed  unknown  as  such,  but  now  and 
henceforth  acknowledged  and  worshipped  as  the  One  Supreme 
God  over  all^  blessed  for  ever  and  ever.     Amen. 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  9.77 

THE  APOCALYPSE. 


[PRELIMINARY.] 

ALREADY  has  the  Evangelist  John,  in  our  work,  borne  am- 
ple testimony  to  the  supreme  Divinity  of  his  Lord  and  Master 
Jesus  Christ.  But,  as  the  angel  gave  him  to  understand,  Apoc. 
X.  11,  he  "  must  yet  again  prophesy  before  many  peoples,  and 
"  nations,  and  tongues,  and  kings ;"  he  must  again  lift  up  his 
voice,  and  declare  to  his  brethren  what  he  has  seen,  and  heard,  in 
the  spiritual  world,  concerning  that  same  Jesus,  whom  he  knew 
and  followed  while  in  the  natural  world,  on  whose  bosom  he  then 
reclined,  and  at  whose  sacred  feet  he  is  now  constrained  to  fall, 
in  humble  and  profound  adoration,  from  a  new  and  more  power- 
ful conviction  of  his  Divine  Majesty,  than  he  had  ever  experienc- 
ed before.  This  faithful  servant  and  witness  of  the  truth  is  not 
backward  to  renew  his  efforts  in  proclaiming  the  Word  of  God, 
but  in  tlie  midst  of  great  tribulation  gives  a  testimony,  which  he 
is  ready  to  seal  with  his  blood.  And  so  fully  assured  is  he  of  the 
great  importance  of  the  revelation  vouchsafed  to  him,  and  of  the 
happiness  resulting  from  a  true  perception  of  it's  contents,  that 
he  introduces  it  in  this  heavenly  manner :  «  Blessed  is  he  that 
"  readeth,  and  they  that  hear  the  words  of  this  prophecy,  and  keep 
"  those  things  which  are  written  therein :  for  the  time  is  at 
«  hand,"  chap.  i.  3. 


[121.]  APOC.  i.  6.  "  To  him  [Jesus  Christ]  be  glory  and 
<•'  dominion  for  ever  and  ever.     Amen." 


To  understand  the  true  nature  of  the  many  ascriptions,  cele- 
brations, and  glorifications,  contained  in  this  book,  which  are  of- 


ars  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

fered  to  Jesus  Christ,  to  the  Lamb,  and  to  the  Loud  God  Al- 
mighty, it  ^vill  be  proper  to  keep  in  mind  the  following  rule  of 
interpretation,  viz.  That  whatsoever  in  it's  genuine  sense  is  as- 
cribed to  any  beings  is  at  the  same  time  to  be  considered  as  be- 
lotiging  to  and  derived  from  that  being.  Hence,  whensoever  we 
find  either  creation,  or  salvation,  or  blessing,  or  honour,  or  glorj, 
or  power,  or  wisdom,  or  riches,  or  dominion,  ascribed  to  the  Lord 
God  Almighty,  we  are  to  understand,  that  such  things  flow 
from  him,  as  from  their  true  fountain  and  source.  And  again, 
whensoever  we  find  the  same  things  ascribed  to  Jesus  Christ, 
and  to  the  Lamb,  we  are  equally  obliged  to  acknowledge,  that  in 
and  from  him  also  they  have  their  origin.  But  as  it  is  impossible, 
that  there  can  be  two  separate  and  distinct  fountains  of  love  and 
Tvisdom,  goodness  and  truth,  or  of  life,  which  is  the  united  acti- 
vity of  both,  we  are  therefore  again  compelled  to  acknowledge 
and  declare,  that  Jesus  Christ,  the  Latub,  and  the  Lord  God 
Almighty,  though  distinguished  by  name,  are  yet  inseparably 
and  indivisibly  one  and  the  same  Divine  Being,  both  as  to  essence, 
and  as  to  form  or  person. 

In  the  passage  above  recited  Jesus  is  considered  as  worthy  to 
receive,  and  therefore  to  him  are  ascribed,  glory  and  dominion 
lor  ever  and  ever.  By  glory  is  meant  divine  majesty,  which  has 
peculiar  reference  to  his  divine  wisdom  or  divine  truth  :  and  by 
dominion  is  meant  divine  omnipotence,  v/\nch  has  more  immediate 
respect  to  his  divine  love  or  divine  good.  Indeed  the  Greek 
word,  which  is  here  rendered  dominion,  ought  rather  to  have 
been  translated  power,  might,  or  strength,  and  in  chap.  v.  13,  is 
expressed  by  the  first  of  these  terms  :  the  same  word  also,  in  com- 
bination with  another,  is  in  chap.  xvi.  7,  chap.  xix.  6,  and  else- 
where, rendered  almighty,  omnipotent.  Now  by  the  rule  already 
laid  down,  as  glory  and  dominion,  divine  majesty  and  divine  om- 
nipotence, divine  wisdom  and  divine  power,  are  expressly  as- 
cribed to  Jesus  Christ,  it  follows,  that  these  divine  attributes, 
together  with  all  the  infinite  perfections  involved  or  implied  in 
them,  do  actually  belong  to  him  alone,  and  flow  forth  from  him  in 
■divine  emanation  and  unceasing  activity  towards  his  finite  crea 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  279 

tures,  that  they  may  become  as  blessed  and  happy  as  their  re- 
spective capacities  of  enjoyment  will  permit. 

In  other  parts  of  this  book  of  divine  revelation  we  also  find  si- 
milar ascriptions  of  glory  and  dominion,  honour  and  power,  to 
the  Lord  God  Almighty,  as  in  chap.  iv.  1],  "  Thou  art  wor- 
<'  thy,  O  Lord,  to  receive  glory,  and  honour^,  and  power:  for 
"  thou  hast  created  all  things,  and  for  thy  pleasure  they  are,  and 
"  were  created."  And  in  chap.  vii.  12,  "  Blessing;,  and  glory, 
<'  and  wisdom,  and  thanksgiving,  and  honour,  and  jwiver,  and 
"  might,  be  unto  our  God  for  ever  and  ever.  Amen."  All  these 
do  therefore  belong  to  the  Lord  God  Almighty,  and  are  com- 
municated by  him  to  man,  in  the  degree  and  proportion  of  his  in- 
terior receptivity.  But  as  the  same  things  are  also  ascribed  to 
Jesus  Christ,  and  to  the  Lamb,  it  again  follows,  as  already  de- 
monstrated, that  the  Lord  God  Almighty,  or  the  Essential  Di- 
vinity, and  Jesus  Christ  the  Lamb,  or  the  Divine  Humanity, 
are  only  one  and  the  same  omnipotent  and  all-glorious  Je- 
hovah. 


[122.]  Apoc.  i.  10  to  18.  «  I  was  in  the  spirit  on  the  Lord's 
"  day,  and  heard  behind  me  a  great  voice  as  of  a  trumpet, 
"  saying,  I  am  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  First  and  the  Last.  And 
**  I  turned  to  see  the  voice  that  spake  with  me.  And  being 
«  turned,  I  saw  seven  golden  candlesticks ;  and  in  the  midst 
"  of  the  seven  candlesticks,  one  like  unto  the  Son  of  Man, 
"  clothed  with  a  garment  down  to  the  foot,  and  girt  about  the 
"  paps  with  a  golden  girdle.  His  head  and  his  hairs  were  white 
"  like  wool,  as  white  as  snow ;  and  his  eyes  were  as  a  flame  of 
"  fire  ;  and  his  feet  like  unto  fine  brass,  as  if  they  burned  in  a 
"  furnace ;  and  his  voice  as  the  sound  of  many  waters.  And  he 
"  had  in  Kis  right  hand  seven  stars  :  and  out  of  his  mouth  went  a 
*'  sharp  two-edged  sword  :  and  his  countenance  was  as  tiie  sim 
«  shineth  in  his  strength.  And  when  I  saw  him,  I  fell  at  his  feet 
^  as  dead:  and  he  laid  his  right  hand  upon  me,  saying  unto  me, 
<f  Fear  not;  lam  the  First  and  the  Last:  I  am  he  that  liveth, 


280  A  SfeAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

"  and  was  dead;  and  behold,  lam  alive  for  evermore,  Amen^ 
"  and  have  the  keys  of  hell  and  of  death." 


The  grandeur  and  magnificence  of  this  description  can  never 
be  exceeded  :  and  yet  it  is  a  description  of  the  appearance  of  the 
Son  of  Man,  that  is,  of  Jesus,  in  the  midst  of  seven  golden 
candlesticks,  which  were  representative  of  his  church  universal. 
He  is  described  as  to  his  clothing,  his  head  and  his  hairs,  his  eyes, 
his  mouth,  his  voice,  his  hand,  his  feet,  and  the  general  appearance 
of  his  divine  form,  but  especially  his  countenance,  which  equalled 
the  splendor  of  the  sun,  when  shining  in  all  his  strength.  How 
similar  to  the  description,  given  by  Daniel,  of  the  Ancient  of 
Days  !  cliap.  vii.  9,  10 ;  of  whom  it  is  written,  "  that  his  garment 
"  was  white  as  snow,  and  the  hair  of  his  head  like  pure  wool ; 
"  that  his  throne  was  like  the  fiery  flame,  and  his  wheels  as  burn- 
"  ing  fire  ;  that  a  fiery  stream  issued  and  came  forth  from  before 
"  him ;  that  thousand  thousands  ministered  unto  him,  and  ten 
'■*  thousand  times  ten  thousand  stood  before  him  !" 

But  not  only  does  the  similarity  hold  good  in  the  general  ap- 
pearance of  the  form  or  person  of  the  Son  of  Man  and  of  the 
Ancient  of  Days  ;  but  the  title,  character,  and  honour,  belong- 
ing to  this  latter,  are  openly  claimed  by  the  former,  or  Son  of 
Man.  "I  am,"  says  he,  ^^Mphaand  Omega,  the  First  and  the 
*'  Last ;"  and  in  ver.  8  he  proclaims  himself  to  be  "  the  beg-iuning 
'•  a7id  the  ending,  who  is,  and  who  was,  and  icho  is  to  come, 
'"  the  Almightij.^^  And  lest  for  a  single  moment  a  single  doubt 
should  be  entertained  as  to  the  identity  of  the  speaker,  he  further 
declares,  "  I  am  he  that  liveth,  and  was  dead  ;  and  behold,  I  am 
"  alive  for  evermore.  Amen :"  from  which  plain  and  intelligible 
language  no  reader  can  be  at  a  loss  to  know  who  is  the  Son  of 
Man,  that  thus  announces  himself,  but  must  instantly  perceive, 
that  it  is  that  very  same  Jesus,  who  was  denied,  rejected,  and 
thus  slain  by  his  enemies  the  Jews,  and  who  also  ruse  again  from 
Ihe  dead,  and  ascended  into  heaven. 

Another  remarkable  feature  in  the  preceding  description  of  the 
interview  between  John  and  liis  Divine  Maste;-,  so  unlike  that  to 
which  he  had  been  accustomed,  is  tlie  circumstances  of  his /a^/i/V"- 


UNITAUIANS,  TRINITAUIANS,  &c.  S8l 

rfoM'M  at  his  feet  as  dead,  the  moment  he  beheld  him  iu  such  uneX" 
pected,  such  inconceivable  glory.  Instead  of  leaning  upon  his 
breast,  as  he  had  formerly  done  in  the  natural  world,  being  now 
in  spiritual  vision,  and  tlius  capable  of  beholding,  for  a  mo- 
ment, the  glory  of  his  Divine  Humanity,  he  first  with  the  eye 
of  his  spirit  attempts  to  survey  the  person  of  his  Lord  ;  but  being 
overpowered  with  a  sense  of  the  sacred  presence,  and  of  his 
own  unworthiness,  he  humbles  himself  in  the  dust  before  Him, 
whom  for  the  first  time  perhaps  he  perceives  to  be  his  God,  as  well 
as  his  Lord.  Then  stretching  out  his  right  hand,  and  laying  it 
upon  hipi,  Jesus  in  his  own  proper  character  administers  that 
comfort,  and  supplies  that  strength,  which  no  other  being  eitlier 
in  heaven  or  on  eartli  is  capable  of  giving  :  "  Fear  iiot^''^  says  he, 
"  I  am  the  First  and  the  Last.-^ 

How  well  does  this  agree  with  his  own  words,  as  Jehovah, 
spoken  by  his  prophet  Isaiah  ages  before  I  "  Fear  thou  not,  for  I 
"  am  with  thee  :  be  not  dismayed,  for  I  am  thy  God :  I  will 
"  strengthen  thee,  yea,  I  will  help  thee,  yea,  I  will  uphold  thee 
"  with  the  right  hand  of  my  righteousness.  Fear  not,  thou  worm 
"Jacob,  and  ye  men  of  Israel:  I  will  help  thee,  saith  Jehovah, 
"and  thy  Redeemer,  the  Holy  One  of  Israel:''''  Isa.  xli.  10,  14. 
How  well  again  with  his  own  words  to  Gideon  in  a  still  more  re- 
mote age,  who,  perceiving  that  the  angel  of  Jehovah  had  visited 
him,  exclaimed  in  great  fear  and  apprehension,  "  Alas!  O  Lord 
"  Jehovih  !  for  I  have  seen  the  angel  of  Jehovah  face  to  face! 
*'  And  Jehovah  said  unto  him,  Peace  be  unto  thee,  fear  not,  thou 
«  shalt  not  die,''''  Judg.  vi.  22,  23. 

The  same  tendency  to  fall  down  upon  the  ground,  and  to  hide 
the  face  as  it  were  in  dust  and  ashes,  which  was  manifested  by 
John  when  he  saw  the  Son  of  Man  in  his  glory,  is  also  apparent 
in  the  conduct  of  all  those,  who  have  ever  been  witnesses  of  any- 
particular  approach  of  the  divine  presence;  as  of  Moses,  when 
he  first  saw  the  angel  of  Jehovah  in  the  burning  bush;  for  "he 
•'  h'ul  his  face,  a.nd  was  afraid  to  look  upon  God,^^  Exod.  iii.  6  :— 
of  Joshua,  when  the  Captain  of  the  host  of  Jehovah  presented 
himself  before  him  ;  for  "  he  fell  on  his  face  to  the  earth,  and  did 
**  worship,"  Josh.  v.  14 : — of  Manoah  and  his  wife,  who,  when 

N  n 


282  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

they  saw  the  angel  of  Jehovah  ascend  in  the  flame  from  off  the 
altar,  "/eW  on  their  faces  to  the  ground,^^  Judg.  xiii.  20  : — of  Eze- 
kiel,  who,  when  he  saw  "  above  the  firmament  a  throne,  and  upon 
"the  throne  tlie  appearance  of  a  Man,  with  fire  and  brightness 
"  round  about  him,  fell  upon  his  face,  and  heard  a  voice  of  one  that 
"  spake,"  Ezek.  i.  26  to  28  :  and  again  the  second  time,  when  he 
saw  "  the  glory  of  Jehovah  stand  before  him  in  the  plain,  as  he 
"had  before  seen  it  by  the  river  of  Chebar,  he  fell  on  hisface,^'* 
chap.  lit.  23: — pf  Daniel,  who,  when  he  saw  "a  certain  Man 
"  clothed  iri  linen,  whose  face  was  as  the  appearance  of  lightning, 
"  his  eyes  as  lamps  of  fire,  his  arms  and  his  feet  like  in  colour  to 
^^  polished  brass,  and  the  voice  of  his  words  like  the  voice  of  a 
*•'  multitude,''''  was  so  deeply  affected  with  this  great  vision,  that 
he  says  of  himself,  "  Tliere  remained  no  strength  in  me ;  for  my 
"  comeliness  was  turned  in  me  into  coi'ruption,  and  I  retained  no 
"  strength.  Yet  heard  I  the  voice  of  his  words :  and  when  I 
"heard  the  voice  of  his  words,  then  was  I  in  a  deep  sleep  on  my 
''^face  ;  and  my  face  toward  the  ground.  And  behold,  an  hand 
"  touched  me,  and  set  me  up.  And  when  I  stood  trembliug,  he 
"  said  unto  me,  Fear  not,  Daniel. — 'Then  there  came  again  and 
"  touched  me  One  like  the  appearance  of  a  Man  :  and  he  strength- 
"  ened  me,  and  said,  O  man  greatly  beloved, /ear  not,  peace  be  un- 
"  to  thee,  be  strong,  yea,  be  strong,'^''  Dan.  x.  5  to  12,  18,  19  : — 
and  lastly  of  Zacharias,  who,  while  he  was  "  perfornting  the 
"  priest's  office,  burning  incense  in  the  temple  of  the  Lord,  saw 
"  an  angel  of  the  Lord  standing  on  the  right  side  of  the  altar  of 
"incense;  whereupon  he  was  fro?/ft/<'c?,  and  fear  fell  upon  him. 
"  But  the  angel  said  unto  him.  Fear  not,  Zacharias ;  for  thy  pray- 
"  er  is  heard,"  Luke  i.  8  to  13. 

In  all  these  cases  the  presence  of  Jehovah  in  an  angel,  when 
brought  to  the  perception  of  man,  had  the  effect  of  inducing  upoH 
him  fear  and  apprehension  of  the  immediate  extinction  of  his  own 
proper  life :  for  the  divine  life,  being  in  itself  like  a /re,  so  much 
more  intense  than  any  finite  spark  derived  from  it,  as  to  be  ca- 
pable of  totally  eclipsing  and  even  extinguishing  it,  can  only  be 
endured  when  new  strength  is  communicated  for  the  purpose,  and 
when  at  the  same  time  a  sufficient  veil  or  covering  is  mercifully 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  283 

tlirown  over  the  glory,  by  tempering  and  qualifying  it  in  a  way  of 
accommodation  suited  to  the  exigency  of  those,  befoi-e  whom  it  is 
presented.  Precisely  in  the  same  condition  with  the  prophets 
and  servants  of  Jehovah  above  named,  when  He  appeared  to 
them  in  an  angelic  form,  was  the  apostle  John,  when  Jesus  ap- 
peared to  him  in  his  Glorified  Humanity.  The  former  either 
hid  their  faces,  or  fell  on  their  faces,  being  afraid  to  look  upon 
God:  the  latter,  on  seeing  Jesus,  instantly /e/Z  af  his  feet  as 
dead  !  !  ! 

So  striking  is  the  similarity  in  circumstance,  in  glory,  and  in 
effect ;  so  identified  also  are  the  words  of  consolation,  of  mercy, 
of  protection  and  support,  proceeding  from  the  mouth  of  Jehovah, 
and  from  the  lips  of  Jesus,  that  it  is  surely  next  to  an  impossibili- 
ty for  any  man,  having  the  unbiassed  use  of  his  reason,  not  to  dis- 
cern, in  all  these  things,  the  great  end  and  design  of  the  inspir- 
ed writers,  whose  collected  and  united  testimony  so  fully  and  so 
plainly  demonstrates  the  equal  Divinity  of  Jesus  and  of  Jehovah, 
and  consequently  their  entire  and  perfect  union^  as  one  ever- 
glorious  and  most  adorable  God. 


[123.]  Apoc.  ii.  7.  "To  him  that  overcometh  will  I  give  io 
"  eat  of  the  tree  of  life,  which  is  in  the  midst  of  the  paradise  of 
^-  God." 

The  tree  of  life  in  the  midst  of  the  paradise  of  God,  is  evident- 
ly a  phrase  used  to  denote  eternal  life  and  happiness  in  heaven, 
after  the  death  of  the  body.  But  who  is  the  giver  of  such  life 
and  happiness  to  the  human  race  ?  Surely  none  but  the  God  of 
the  human  race,  the  Creator  and  Author  of  their  being.  Nor  can 
it  enter  into  the  head,  much  less  into  the  heart  of  any  one  to  con- 
ceive it  possible,  that  any  other  than  he,  who  is  the  true  God,  and 
eternal  life  himself,  can  bestow  this  rich  and  precious  boon  of 
immortality.  David  well  knew  the  great  source  of  all  happiness  j 
for  he  saith  of  Jehovah,  "  In  his  favour  is  Ufe,''^  Ps.  xxx.  5.  And 
^gain,  addressing  himself  to  the  same  God,  he  adds,  "  With  thee 


U4  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

"  is  i\\e.  fountain  of  life,''''  Ps.  xxxvi.  9.  "  Thou  wilt  shew  me  the 
«'  path  of  life :  in  thy  presence  is  fulness  of  joy,  at  thy  right  hand 
"there  are  pleasures  for  evermore,''^  Ps.  xvi.  11. 

But  what  is  the  language  of  Jesus  to  his  disciples,  who,  while 
in  his  instructions  he  repeatedly  called  their  attention  to  Him- 
self alone,  was  yet  perfectly  aware  of  all  that  is  written  in  the 
Old  Testament  concerning  Jehovah  ?  Does  he  discover  the  least 
reluctance,  the  least  unicillingness  to  hold  himself  up  to  their  ad- 
miration and  supreme  regard,  even  though  he  must  have  known, 
that  the  high  character,  which  he  gave  himself,  was  liable  to  ex- 
amination, yea,  and  to  comjiarison  with  that  which  Jehovah,  the 
jealous  Jehovah,  constantly  assumes  ?  Did  he  not  well  know, 
that  it  would  be  presumption  in  the  extreme,  for  any  mere  man, 
or  for  any  mere  angel,  or  for  any  being  of  still  higher  order,  if 
such  being  can  possibly  be  imagined,  below  the  dignity  of  the  One 
Supreme  God,  to  claim  to  himself  divine  titles,  divine  charac- 
ters, divine  attributes,  divine  powers,  and  with  them  divine  wor- 
ship itaelf.^  or  when  any  of  these  were  not  expressly  claimed  by 
him,  and  yet  offered  or  ascribed  to  him,  still  to  approve,  encour- 
age, and  reward  the  persons,  who  so  honoured  and  reverenced 
him,  as  they  Lould  not  have  honoured  and  reverenced  the  Divine 
Being,  whom  he  calls  his  Fathei^  .^  Jesus  knew  all  this,  and  in- 
finitely more  ;  and  yet  he  says,  "  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  la- 
<^«  hour,  and  are  heavy-laden,  and  /  will  give  you  rest,''''  Matt.  xi. 
28.  ^'  /  am  the  bread  of  life  :  he  that  cometh  to  me,  shall  never 
*'  hunger  ;  and  he  that  believeth  on  me,  shall  never  thirst,''^  John 
vi.  35.  "  If  a  man  keep  my  saying,  he  shall  never  see  death,^^  viii, 
51.  "Before  Abraham  was,  /  am,"  ver.  58.  "  /  am  the  good 
*'  Shepherd :  and  other  sheep  /  haiie,  which  are  not  of  this  fold : 
"  them  also  I  must  bring,  and  they  shall  hear  my  voice  ;  and  there 
**  shall  be  one  fold,  and  one  Shepherd.  And  I  give  unto  them 
ii  eternal  life,  and  they  shall  never  perish,  neither  shall  any  pluck 
"them  out  of  my  hand,''''  John  x.  11,  14,  16,  28.  And  lastly,  in 
the  words  which  gave  rise  to  these  reflections,  "  To  him  that  over- 
f<  cometh  will  I  give  to  eat  of  the  irec  of  life,  which  is  in  the  midst 
^i  of  the  paradise  of  God." 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  285 

From  all  these  considerations  what  is  the  fair  inference,  which 
ouo-ht  to  be  deduced,  and  which  indeed  cannot  but  be  deduced,  ia 
regard  to  the  divine  person  and  intrinsic  character  of  Jesus  ? 
What,  but  that  he  was,  still  is,  and  for  ever  will  be,  the  great 
Jehovah  Himself,  whose  name,  as  the  unmanifested  Deity,  he 
had  the  exclusive  right  to  drop  at  his  pleasure,  and  in  it's  stead 
to  introduce  his  own  new  name,  as  the  same  Lord,  the  same  God, 
now  manifested,  now  incarnate,  now  risen  into  g'lori/,  and  pre- 
senting to  his  creatures,  as  the  sole  Object  worthy  of  their  ever- 
lasting love.  Himself  the  First,  Himself  the  Last,  Himself 
the.^;/m^//.' 


[124.]  Apoc  ii.  10.     «  Be  thou  faithful  unto  death,  and  I  will 
"  give  thee  a  crown  of  lifey 


Here  again  Jesus  declares  himself  to  be  the  giver,  and  conse- 
quently the  author  of  eternal  happiness  in  another  world,  to  such 
as  remain  faithful  to  the  end  of  life  in  the  present  world.  Line 
upon  line,  precept  upon  precept,  and  declaration  upon  declara- 
tion, both  with  respect  to  the  proper  Object  of  worship,  and  the 
constant  practice  of  virtue,  are  not  with-held  from  man,  but  in  a 
variety  of  forms  pressed  upon  his  notice,  in  order  that  he  may  be 
left  without  excuse,  if  he  neglect  his  duty  in  either  particular. 
The  man,  who  refuses  to  acknowledge  the  sole  Divinity  of  Jesus 
Christ,  will  yet,  on  the  day  of  reckoning,  be  glad  to  receive  the 
crown  of  life  from  some  divine  hand  or  other.  But  to  whom  will 
he  apply  for  it,  if  not  to  him,  "  who  has  the  words  of  eternal 
"  ^i/e?"  John  vi.  68.  If  he  pass  by  the  Son,  and  seek  it  of  the 
"Father  immediately,  will  this  be  considered  as  honouring  the  Son? 
Rather,  will  it  not  be  deemed  as  undervaluing,  if  not  rejecting 
him  ?  And  yet  it  is  written,  "  He  that  honoureth  not  the  Son, 
"  honoureth  not  the  Father  who  sent  him,"  John  v.  23. 

But  neither  will  the  Father  suffer  himself  to  be  approached  by 
any,  who  seek  him  not  in  the  person  of  Jesus  :  for  having  "  com- 
"  mitted  all  judgment  unto  the  Son,^^  John  v.  2'Z',  nay,  having 


286  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

«  given  all  things  into  his  hand,'^  John  iii.  35  ,:  and  himself  wiilt 
all  his  divinitif  "  dwelling  in  the  Sun,''  as  the  soul  of  a  man 
dwells  in  his  body,  John  xiv.  10,  11.  Coloss.  ii.  9,  he  has  left- 
open  for  the  creature  only  one  icay,  one  door  of  access  to  bis 
PBESENCE  :  and  wliosoever  refuses  to  walk  in  that  waij,  and  to 
enter  in  by  that  door,  but  presumptuously  endeavours  to  "  climb 
''  up  soihe  other  u-ay,''  John  x.  1,  must  be  for  ever  excluded  from 
all  participation  in  the  gift  of  eternal  life,  because  in  such  case  he 
turns  his  back  upon  him,  who  is  both  the  author  and  the  giver  of 
ft,  John  X.  28. 


[125.]  Apoc.  ii.  17.  "  To  him  that  overcoraeth  ivill  I  give  to 
^'  eat  of  the  hidden  manna.'' 

The  external  manna,  which  was  rained  down  upon  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  in  the  wilderness,  as  is  well  known,  was  represen- 
tative of  that  internal,  spiritual  food,  which  is  alone  capable  of 
nourishing  the  soul  to  eternal  life.  By  reason  of  this  significa- 
tion it  is  also  called  "  angels'  food,"  Ps.  Ixxviii.  25.  Now  it  will 
scarcely  be  denied  by  any  one,  that  such  food  must  be  communi- 
cated both  to  angels  and  to  the  spirits  of  men,  by  him  who  origi- 
nally created  them  ;  because  no  other  can  be  supposed  competent 
to  support  them,  or  what  is  the  same  thing,  to  continue  them  in  a 
happy  existence  :  for  he,  who  first  gave  life,  can  alone  pireserve  it. 
But  Jesus  expressly  says,  that  he  is  the  giver  of  that  spiritual 
food,  which  is  here  called  the  hidden  manna  ;  nay,  that  he  is  him- 
self that  manna,  or  bread  of  life,  which  came  down  from  heaven, 
for  the  purpose  of  nourishing  and  blessing  his  people.  (John  vi. 
48  to  51.)  It  therefore  follows,  that,  as  he  is  the  supporter  and 
preserver  of  the  interior  life  of  man,  he  must  also  have  been  the 
original  giver  of  the  same.  Antl  hcMico  again  results  the  great 
truth  so  particularly  evident  in  the  last  book  of  revelation,  that 
our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  is  himself  the  One  Supreme 
God,  tke  fountain  of  all  life  and  being. 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  .2%7 

[126.]  Apoc.  ii.  21  to  23.  "  I  gave  her  [the  woman  JezebelJ 
"  space  to  repent  of  her  fornication,  and  she  repented  not.  Be- 
."  hold,  /  li-ill  cast  her  into  a  bed,  and  them  that  commit  adultery 
*'  with  her  into  great  tribulation,  except  they  repent  of  their 
"  deeds.  And  I  will  kill  her  children  with  death  ;  and  all  the 
"  churches  shall  know,  that  I  am  he  who  searcheth  the  reins  and 
*'  hearts:  and  I  will  give  unto  every  one  of  you  according  to 
"  your  works." 


What  consummate  arrogance,  not  to  say  blasphemy,  must  it  h& 
for  any  mere  man,  as  the  Socinian  Unitarians  suppose  Jesus  to 
have  been,  to  assume  such  a  lofty  tone  and  character,  as  this  ad- 
dress to  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Thyatira  holds  out !  Does  a 
mere  man  give  the  perverted  church,  represented  by  the  woman 
Jezebel,  space  to  repent  ?  Will  a  mere  man  cast  her  into  a  bed 
of  tribulation  for  her  evil  deeds.'*  And  will  such  an  one  kill  her 
children  with  death?  But  above  all,  can  it  be  said  with  any  de- 
gree of  truth,  or  with  the  shadow  or  appearance  of  any  thing  re- 
sembling propriety,  that  a  uiere  man  is  the  searcher  and  trier  of 
the  reins  and  hearts  of  his  fellow-creatures,  that  is,  the  Discerner 
and  Judge  of  the  most  interior  thoughts,  intentions,  motives,  and 
affections  of  the  whole  human  race,  together  with  all  their  sour- 
ces, progressions,  gradations,  and  tendencies  to  eternity  ;  and 
this  whether  considered  singly  and  separately  in  each  individual, 
or  in  combination  with,  and  relation  to,  all  others  of  similar  and 
dissimilar  qualities  ;  whether  and  how  far  voluntary  or  involun- 
tary, self-acquired  or  hereditary,  momentary  or  constant,  inci- 
pient or  inveterate  ;  in  one  word,  remissible  or  irremissible  P 
And,  lastly,  is  it  conceivable,  that  this  same  mere  man  should 
have  it  in  his  power  to  give  unto  every  one  the  reward  that  is  due 
to  his  works,  whether  they  have  been  evil,  or  whether  they  have 
been  good  i' 

The  man,  who  believes  all  this,  has  no  want  of  faith :  on  the 
contrary,  he  must  have  a  super-abundance  of  it,  such  as  it  is! 
The  man,  who  believes  all  this,  may  boast  of  his  own  superior 
understanding :  but  no  one,  after  this,  will  give  him  credit  for  a 
grain  of  common  sense.     lu  fint.-.  ilic  man,  who  believes  all  this, 


288  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

may  imagine,  that  the  doctrine  of  Unitarianism  will  still  spread 
in  the  world,  and  gain  innumerable  proselytes,  by  virtue  of  the 
rationality  of  it's  views,  the  siiblimiti/of  iVs  conceptions,  and  the 
justness  of  it's  conclusions :  but,  if  we  judge  aright,  it  has  alrea- 
dy seen  it's  brightest  day,  and,  meteor-like,  after  astonishing  and 
infatuating  some  of  it's  beholders,  is  fast  verging  towards  the 
western  horizon,  there  to  be  extinguished  and  forgotten ;  while 
the  heavenly  beams  of  divine  truth,  now  descending  from  on  high, 
announce  to  a  joyful  and  delighted  world,  that  the  Sun  of  Righ- 
teousness is  already  risen  in  the  east. 

Away  then  with  the  follies  and  delusions  of  a  doctrine  founded 
in  error,  and  supported  by  a  kind  of  reasoning,  which  can  be  no 
other  than  self -derived,  earth-born,  and  grovelling  in  the  dust, 
because  it  opposes  that  superior  and  purer  light,  the  light  of  re- 
velation, which  comes  down  from  above,  and  which  enlightens  the 
understanding  of  all,  who  acknowledge  the  divinity  of  the  Lord, 
and  the  sanctity  of  his  Word.  Let  us  open  our  eyes  to  this  great 
light,  and  then  we  shall  clearly  see,  that  the  wisdom,  justice,  and 
power,  which  are  ascribed  to  Jesus,  belong  to  him  neither  as  a 
viere  man,  nor  as  a  mere  angel,  but  as  the  Supreme  God,  to 
whom  all  hearts  and  all  understandings  are  continually  open,  and 
from  whose  notice  and  just  judgment  there  is  no  escape. 

The  character,  which  the  great  Jehovah  gives  of  himself,  as 
the  searcher  of  the  heart,  the  trier  of  the  reins,  and  the  reivarder 
of  every  man  according  to  his  works,  wdll  readily  be  acknowledg- 
ed by  all,  who  have  ever  read  his  Word  ;  it  being  too  plainly  set 
forth  in  the  Sacred  Pages  to  admit  of  a  doubt.  Thus  in  the  pro- 
phet it  is  Avritten,  "  I  Jehovah  search  the  heart,  I  try  the  reins, 
"  even  to  give  every  man  according  to  his  icays,  and  according 
«  to  the  fruit  of  his  doings,^^  Jer.  xvii.  10;  chap.  xx.  12.  The 
Psalmist  also  says,  "  2Vie  righteous  God  irieth  the  hearts  and 
"  reins,'^  Ps.  vii.  9.  Ps.  xxvi.  2:  not  to  mention  a  multitude  of 
other  passages  to  the  same  eflfect  in  almost  every  book  of  the  Old 
Testament.  But  wherein  does  this  character  of  the  righteous 
God,  the  Judge  of  all  the  earth,  differ  from  that,  which  Jesus  in 
like  manner,  and  witli  the  same  degree  of  authority,  gives  of  him- 
self in  the  book  of  Revelation  ?    In  every  respect  do  they  agree  : 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  289 

and  therefore  Jesus,  assuming  the  loftiest  tone  of  wisdom  and 
judgment  united,  that  language  can  express,  and  thus  identifying 
himself  with  the  great  Jehovah,  hesitates  not  to  saj,  "  Iain  he 
"  that  searcheth  the  reins  and  the  hearts  ;  and  /  icill  give  unto 
"  every  one  of  you  according  to  your  works  :^^  which  great  truth, 
lie  further  promises,  shall  in  due  time  be  made  known  to  "  all  the 
"  churches.'- 


[127.]  Apoc.  V,  12  to  14.  «  Worthy  is  the  Lamb,  that  was 
"  slain,  to  receive  power,  and  riches,  and  wisdom,  and  strength, 
"  and  honour,  and  glory,  and  blessing.  And  every  creature 
*'  which  is  in  heaven,  and  on  the  earth,  and  under  the  earth,  and 
"  such  as  are  in  tlie  sea,  and  all  that  are  in  them,  heard  I,  saying, 
"  Blessing,  and  honour,  and  glory,  and  power,  be  unto  Him  that 
"  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  unto  the  Ijamb  for  ever  and  ever. 
"  And  the  four  beasts  said,  Amen.  And  the  four  and  twenty  el- 
"  ders  fell  down,  and  worshipped  Him  that  liveth  for  ever  and 
*'  ever." 


It  is  universally  admitted,  that  by  the  Lamb  is  meant  our  Lord 
and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  especially  as  to  his  Humanity.  But 
it  is  not  so  generally  known,  that  by  Him  that  sitteth  upon  the 
throne,  or  the  Lord  God  Almighty,  is  meant  the  same  Jesus 
in  respect  to  his  Divinity,  which  is  like  a  soul  animating  or  giv- 
ing life  to  it's  body.  Yet  this  plain  and  intelligible  view  of  the 
subject  is  quite  sufficient  to  remove  all  that  difficulty,  which  em- 
barrasses the  minds  of  some,  on  reading,  that  all  the  angels  round 
about  the  throne,  and  every  creature  both  in  heaven  and  on  earth, 
united  in  one  general  song  of  praise  and  glorification,  apparently 
to  two  distinct  Oljjects  of  their  gratitude  and  adoration,  viz.  the 
Lord  God  Almighty  and  the  Lamb  ;  although  it  is  so  con- 
stantly declared  throughout  the  Holy  Scriptures,  that  no  other 
worship  can  be  accepted,  than  such  as  is  directed  to  One  Diviite 
Object  alone. 


290  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

The  Lamb  is  said  to  have  been  slain,  not  merely  because  i\\e. 
Humanity  of  the  Lord  was  crucified  by  the  Jews,  which  is  the 
lowest  or  most  external  sense  of  the  expression,  but  chiefly  be- 
cause his  Divinity  was  denied  by  them,  as  it  is  also  by  many 
others  in  the  present  day.  For  as  the  Divinity  is  the  very  life 
and  soul  of  the  Humanity,  so  to  deny  that  the  Humanity  of  the 
Lord  is  Divine,  is  the  same  thing  as  to  separate  tlie  soul  from  the 
body,  to  deprive  this  latter  of  it's  life,  and  thus  to  slay  or  crucify 
the  Lord  as  it  were  a  second  time.  And  yet,  howsoever  this  may 
be  the  case  with  all  those,  who  regard  him  only  as  a  mere  vian, 
he  still  lives  in  his  church,  that  is,  in  the  hearts  of  all  who  truly 
serve  and  acknowledge  him.  For  though  as  the  Messiah,  the 
Christ,  or  the  Holy  One  anointed  with  the  pure  oil  of  Divinity, 
he  has  been  "  cut  off"  both  by  Jews  and  by  nominal  Christians,  yet 
has  it  not  been  "  for  himself,"  Dan.  ix.  26 ;  nor  is  it  to  be  con- 
sidered as  in  the  least  affecting  himself,  but  only  those,  who  have 
thus  rejected  and  denied  him.  "  I  am  he  that  liveth,  and  teas 
"  dead  ;  and  behold,  (says  he,)  I  am  alive  for  evermore,  Amen," 
Apoc.  i.  18. 

Seeing  then  that  by  the  Lamb  is  meant  the  Divine  Humanity 
of  the  Lord,  and  by  slaying  him  a  denial  of  his  Divinity  ;  and 
seeing  further  that  the  same  Lamb,  singly,  is  accounted  worthy 
to  receive  power,  and  riches,  and  wisdom,  and  strength,  and  ho- 
nour, and  glory,  and  blessing  ;  and  again  that  to  him,  in  conjunc- 
tion with  the  Lord  God  Almighty,  who  sitteth  upon  the  throne, 
are  ascribed  by  all  the  angels  of  heaven,  and  by  all  tlie  good  spirits 
under  heaven,  blessing,  and  honour,  and  glory,  and  power,  which, 
as  we  have  already  observed,  (art.  121,)  is  an  acknowledgment  that 
such  things  belong  to,  and  are  derived  from,  in  the  first  case  the 
Lamb,  and  in  the  second  case  the  Lord  God  Almighty  jointly 
with  the  Lamb  ;  it  follows  as  an  everlasting  truth,  that  by  both 
the  one  and  the  other  is  meant  only  one  and  the  same  ever-bless- 
ed God,  who  as  to  his  Essential  Divinity,  is  called  the  Loud 
God  Almighty,  and  as  to  his  Divine  Ilumanily  is  called  the 
Lamb.  And  therefore,  in  exact  agreement  with  this  most  heaven- 
ly and  divine  doctrine,  and  in  full  confirmation  of  the  same,  it  is 
added,  that  "  the  four  beasts  said.  Amen  J'' 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  £91 

Now  by  these  four  beasts,  animals,  or  living  things,  2ls  the  term. 
in  the  original  might  very  properly  be  rendered,  is  meant  the 
Word,  or  Sacred  Scripture,  which  is  said  to  be  living,  because  in 
it  is  contained,  and  from  it  is  derived,  all  the  spiritual  life  both  of 
angels  and  men.  Hence  the  Word,  or  the  divine  truth,  is  even 
identified  with  the  Lord  himself,  from  whom  it  proceeds,  John  L 
1 ;  and  hence  also  t\\efour  beasts,  or  living  things,*  which  signi- 
fy the  Word,  are  in  Apoc.  iv.  6,  said  to  be  in  the  midst  of  the 
throne,  in  like  manner  as  the  Lord,  who  is  called  a  Lamb,  is  re- 
presented to  be,  in  chap.  v.  6,  and  chap.  vii.  17.  When  there- 
fore it  is  declared,  as  above,  that  tlie  four  beasts  said  Amen  to  the 
divine  honours  ascribed  both  to  Him  that  sat  upon  the  throne,  and 
to  the  Lamb,  we  are  clearly  to  understand,  that  it  is  the  uniform, 
constant,  and  genuine  doctrine  of  the  Sacred  Scripture,  that  all 
worship  ought  to  be  directed  to  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ,  exclusively  of  every  other  being  in  heaven  or  on  earth, 
he  alone  being  the  Loud  God  Almighty  and  also  the  Lamb  in 
One  Glorified  or  Divine  Person.  No  wonder,  then,  that  the  four 
and  twenty  elders,  as  the  heads  or  representatives  of  all  in  hea- 
ven and  in  the  church  universal,  viewing  the  person  of  Jesus 
upon  the  throne  of  heaven,  and  knowing  that  in  him  alone  is 
contained  the  whole  of  divinity,  by  whatever  name  or  names  it 
can  possibly  be  expressed,  fell  down  at  his  feet,  and  "  worshipped 
"  Him  that  liveth  for  ever  and  ever." 

*  These  four  living  things  are  the  same  as  the  cherubs  seen  by  Ezekiel, 
chap.  i.  and  x.  the  faces  of  which  resembled  a  lion,  a  calf,  a  man,  and  an  eagle. 
By  the  lion  is  meant  the  divine  truth  of  the  Word  as  to  it's  poiver ;  by  the 
calf,  the  satme  as  to  it's  affection,  or  the  desire  of  knowing  it,  which  is  excit- 
ed in  the  natural  mind ;  for  every  beast  mentioned  in  the  Word  Is  represen- 
tative of  some  human  affection  or  other  :  by  the  man  is  signified  the  same 
divine  truth  as  to  luisdom,  man  alone  of  all  creatures  being  born  capable  of 
receiving  wisdom  from  the  I<ord  :  and  by  the  eagle  is  meant  the  same  again 
as  to  knowledge,  acuteness  of  intellectual  sight  or  perception,  and  intelligence. 
There  is  no  more  occasion  to  be  surprized,  that  the  Word  or  Sacred  Scrip- 
ture should  be  described  by  these  appearances,  than  that  the  Lord  himself, 
who  also  is  the  Word,  should  be  compared  to  a  Lion  and  a  Lamb,  or  the 
members  ef  his  church  to  a  flock  of  sheep. 


292  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

[^28.]  Apoc.  vi.  16,  17.  "  And  they  said  to  the  mouutains^nd 
"  rocks,  Fall  on  us,  and  hide  us  from  the /ace  of  Him  that  sitteth 
"  on  the  throne,  and  from  the  wrath  of  the  Lamb.  For  the  great 
"  day  of  his  wrath  is  come ;  and  ivho  shall  be  able  to  stand  ? 


We  have  already  seen  in  wliat  manner  tlic  angels  of  heaven 
celebrate  and  magnify  the  Lord  God  Almighty  and  the  Lamb, 
as  One  Divine  Object  worthy  of  all  praise  and  adoration.  We 
now  see  how  the  wicked  and  impious  are  affected  by  the  presence 
of  the  same  Divine  Being  on  the  occasion  of  the  last  judgment, 
and  with  what  apprehension  they  are  filled,  lest  the  wrath  of  the 
Lamb,  no  less  than  the  indignation  of  Him  that  sitteth  on  the 
throne,  should  fall  upon  their  guilty  heads.  From  both  cases  the 
truth  of  our  doctrine  is  elicited,  and  by  both  it  is  confirmed  ;  from 
the  former,  by  the  equal  homage,  which  is  paid  by  angels  to  God 
and  the  Lamb  :  and  from  the  latter,  by  the  equal  dread  of  both, 
which  is  manifested  by  the  wicked. 

The  last  judgment  is  frequently  spoken  of  in  the  Scriptures  as 
the  great  and  dreadful  day  of  Jehovah,  the  day  of  his  wrath, 
fierce  anger,  and  indignation  :  and  the  prophet  Malachi  says, 
<<  tFho  may  abide  the  day  of  his  coming?  and  who  shall  stand 
*'  when  he  appeareth  .^"  chap.  iii.  2.  Similar  words,  it  is  remark- 
able, are  here  used  in  reference  to  the  Lamb  :  "  The  great  day  of 
"  his  icrath  is  come  ;  and  who  shall  be  able  to  stand?'''*  What !  is 
the  great  day  of  the  wrath  of  a  mere  man  come  }  I  And  is  it  a 
question.  Who  shall  be  able  to  stand  .''  who  shall  be  found  capa- 
ble of  enduring  it  }  !  ! The  subject  is  too  solemn  to  permit  us 

to  proceed  with  questions  of  this  tendency.  Let  the  Unitarian 
well  consider  within  himself  what  might  be  said  on  such  an  occa- 
sion ;  and  what  a  host  of  arguments,  grounded  on  this  single  pas- 
sage, might  be  brought  to  bear  upon  him,  and,  if  well  directed,  to 
dash  his  system  into  a  thousand  pieces. 

Truth  must  prevail  at  last :  the  further  we  advance,  the  bright- 
er it  appears,  and  the  stronger  it  grows.  This  last  book  of  reve- 
lation in  a  peculiar  manner  winds  up  it's  spring ;  and  enables  it. 
linn-like,  v ithout  the  trouble  of  exeition,  to  look  it's  enemy  to 
death!  Of  itself  it  is  a  Seal  covering  and  closing  the  mouths  of 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  293 

all  gaiusayers,  and  at  the  same  time  testifying,  corroborating,  and 
eternalizing  that  niost  sublime,  that  most  heavenly  of  all  doc- 
trines, the  sole,  supreme,  and  exclusive  Divinity  of  our  blessed 
Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 

We  have  been  speaking  of  judgment  upon  deceased  men  in  tlie 
spiritual  world.  Let  us  now  consider  the  probable  effects  of  it 
upon  living  men  in  the  natural  world,  especially  upon  those  called 
Unitarians  and  Trinitarians.  The  same  divine  truth,  which  ter- 
rifies and  torments  in  the  one  case,  and  causes  the  guilty  to  "  cry 
"  out  for  the  mountains  and  rocks  to  fall  upon  them,  and  hide 
"  them  from  tlie  face  of  him  that  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  from 
^<  tlie  wrath  of  the  Lamb,"  already  begins  to  agitate,  distress,  and 
exasperate  those,  who  set  themselves  in  opposition  to  the  heaven- 
ly doctrines  of  the  New  Jerusalem.  They  in  their  turn,  in  all 
probability,  will  likewise  call  upon  rocks  and  mountains  to  hide 
them  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord  God  Almighty  and  the 
Lamb  ;  that  is  to  say,  they  will  feel  within  themselves  an  aver- 
sion to  the  newly -revealed  doctrine  of  the  Divine  Humanity  of 
our  Lord,  because  they  cannot  endure  the  sight  of  that  unspeak- 
able glory  which  surrounds  him  ;  they  will  betake  themselves 
to  the  grossest /a^sgs  of  doctrine,  (spiritual  rocks, J  grounded  in 
the  mere  appearances  of  truth  in  the  letter  of  the  Word  ;  and 
perhaps  also  they  will  have  recourse  to  some  unworthy  prejudi- 
ces, or  disorderly  affections,  (spiritual  ?HO?/H<«iws,J  which  bespeak 
either  a  corrupt  or  a  deluded  mind,  in  order  to  shelter  and  defend 
them  from  the  irresistible  power  of  that  divine  truth,  which  is  now 
breaking  up  all  the  old  systems  of  theology,  laying  bare  their  na- 
kedness and  deformity,  and  in  their  stead  introducing  the  ever- 
lasting gospel  of  God  manifested  in  the  flesh,  or  what  is  the  same 
thing,  God  appearing  amongst  his  creatures  in  a  divinely-human 
form. 

But  we  trust,  and  are  not  without  great  hopes,  that  many,  both 
among  Unitarians  and  Trinitarians,  before  it  be  too  late  to  change 
their  course,  will  have  the  wisdom  to  re-consider  the  doctrines, 
which  they  have  perhaps  innocently  imbibed  from  their  infancy, 
or  which  from  their  connections  in  life  they  may  have  been  incau- 
tiously led  to  adopt.     And  having  well  examined  the  foundation, 


'Z94  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

upon  which  tliey  stand,  and  compared  it  with  the  Word  of  divine 
truth,  under  the  light,  which  is  now  afforded  them  from  heaven, 
and  which  gives  a  more  consistent  view  of  it's  genuine  contents, 
than  any  otlier  doctrine  heretofore  made  public  in  the  world  ;  we 
doubt  not,  but  the  sincere,  the  unprejudiced,  and  the  truly  ration- 
al among  them,  will  sooner  or  later  be  providentially  led  to  see 
and  acknowledge,  that  to  our  Lord  andSaviour  JesusChrist,  even 
with  respect  to  his  Humanity,  belongs,  not  a  partial,  not  a  divid- 
ed or  apportioned  Divinity,  (for  this  is  utterly  unworthy  of  him, 
and  falls  infinitely  short  of  his  right  and  title,)  but  the  whole,  sole, 
and  exclusive  Divinity,  that  is,  a  Divinity  which  puts  an  adaman- 
tine, an  eternal  bar  against  every  other  claimant,  that  would  share 
or  participate  with  him  in  it. 

As  an  humble  medium  of  contributing  towards  the  production 
of  such  an  effect,  as  the  conviction  above  alluded  to,  in  the  mind 
of  either  Trinitarian  or  Unitarian,  this  work  is  chiefly  intended : 
and  if  such  a  desirable  result  shall,  in  consequence  of  our  feeble 
endeavours,  actually  take  place,  it  will  become  to  us,  in  common 
with  every  other  member  of  the  true  Christian  church,  the  occa- 
sion of  a  real  accession  of  joy  and  delight;  because  every  new 
comer  into  the  kingdom  of  our  Lord,  every  new  tongue  that  con- 
fesses, every  new  heart  that  adores  him,  forms  and  brings  with 
him  an  additional  ground  for  the  reception  of  the  divine  influx 
into  tlie  common  body,  which  being  communicated /roj/if/iew/io^e 
/o  each  individual,  and  again /ro hi  each  individual  to  the  whole, 
perpetually  increases  and  exalts  as  well  the  particular  as  the  com- 
mon good  and  happiness  of  all. 

But  that  the  reader  may  not  for  a  moment  suppose,  that  in  any 
thing  we  have  said  here,  or  in  any  other  part  of  this  work,  we  claim 
to  oui'selves  the  merit  of  having  discovered  any  part  of  the  doc- 
trine, which  we  so  strongly  recommend,  we  again  repeat  what  in 
substance  we  have  already  observed  in  the  latter  part  of  article 
r>8,  and  in  the  note  appended  to  it,  that  we  have  received  it  en- 
\irely  as  a  new  revelation  from  heaven:  and  we  acknowledge  with 
thankfulness,  tliat  the  truths,  which  it  exhibits,  have  by  their  splen- 
dor enlightened  our  understanding;  while  we  trust,  that  by  theii- 
tendency  and  utility  tiiey  have  also  gained  a  place  in  our  heart. 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  2<j:. 

[129.]  Apoc.  vii.  9  to  12.  "  After  this  I  beheld,  and  lo,  a  great 
"  multitude,  which  no  man  could  number,  of  all  nations,  and  kin- 
"  dreds,  and  people,  and  tongues,  stood  before  the  throne^und  be- 
"  fore  the  Lamb,  clothed  with  white  robes,  and  palms  in  their 
"  hands  ;  and  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  saying.  Salvation  to  our 
*'  God  who  sittetli  upon  the  tVone,  and  unto  the  Lamu.  And  all 
"  the  angels  stood  round  about  the  throne,  and  Jibout  the  elders, 
"  and  the  four  beasts,  and  fell  before  the  throne  on  their  faces, 
"  and  worshipped  God,  saying.  Amen  :  blessing,  and  glory,  and 
"  wisdom,  and  thanksgiving,  and  honour,  and  power,  and  might, 
"  be  unto  ouu  God  for  ever  anjj  ever.  Amen," 


Here  again  a  universal  glorification  is  described,  as  arising  from 
the  great  mass  of  those  who  are  saved,  and  who  are  seen  standing 
before  the  throne,  and  before  the  Lamb.  To  Him,  in  conjunc- 
tion with  God  who  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  they  all  with  one  heart 
and  one  voice  ascribe  their  salvation  :  and  that  no  one  might  ima- 
gine, from  the  terms  used  in  ver.  10,  that  they  were  offering  in- 
cense to  more  Objects  than  one,  it  is  added  in  ver.  11,  that  they 
all  fell  before  the  throne  on  their  faces,  and  worshipped  God,  as- 
cribing to  him,  in  ver.  12,  the  very  same  things,  with  the  varia- 
tion of  only  a  word,  which  they  had  previously  ascribed  to  the 
Lamb  singly,  in  chap.  v.  12.  Can  any  man,  having  the  use  of  his 
faculties,  be  at  a  loss  to  comprehend  how  all  this  is  to  be  under- 
stood ?  Is  it  not  a  plain,  simple,  and  incontrovertible  truth,  that 
by  Him  who  sat  upon  the  throne,  and  the  Lamb,  who  are  describ- 
ed as  equally  contributing  to  man's  salvation,  and  equally  sharing 
the  honour  of  it,  is  meant  no  other  than  the  One  all-merciful  and 
omnipotent  God  with  respect  to  his  divine  essence  and  his  divine 
form,  which  are  both  united  in  his  Divine  Humanity  ? 


[130.]  Apoc.  vii.  15  to  IT.  "  And  He  that  siiteth  on  thethronr- 
«  shall  dwell  among  them.  They  shall  hunger  no  more,  neither 
«  thirst  any  more,  neither  shall  the  sun  light  on  them,  nor  any 
**  heat.     For  the  Lamb,  who  is  in  the  viidat  of  the  throne,  shall 


£96  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

«  feed  them,  and  shall  lead  them  unto  living  fountains  of  waters  : 
'•  and  God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  their  eyes." 


The  same  effects  are  indiscriminately  ascribed  to  Him  that  sit- 
teth  on  the  throne,  and  to  the  liAMB  who  is  in  the  micht  of  the 
throne.  Both  are  said  to  dwell  among  men,  Zech.  ii.  10,  11; 
John  i.  14 ;  chap.  xiv.  23  :  and  both,  to  feed,  protect,  and  lead 
them  in  the  way  of  life.  If  we  compare  Isa.  xlix.  10,  with  th« 
passage  under  consideration,  it  will  plainly  appear,  tliat  the  same 
things  are  ascribed  to  the  Lamb,  that  is,  to  Jesus,  which  are  as- 
cribed to  the  ever-living  Jeuova^.  They  must,  therefore,  be  one 
and  the  same  Divine  Being  under  different  names  ;  or  else  the 
Scriptures  direct  us  for  help  and  salvation  to  two  right-hands  of 
omnipotence,  two  fountains  of  life,  two  sources  of  everlasting  hap- 
piness. But  this  cannot  be  contemplated,  no  not  for  a  moment, 
by  any  who  acknowledge  the  perfection  and  divinity  of  the  Sa- 
cred Volume. 

The  only  conclusion,  then,  which  we  are  authorized  to  draw, 
from  a  view  of  the  whole  subject,  consistently  with  revelation 
and  sound  reason,  is  that  which  we  have  already  drawn,  and 
■which  we  again  repeat,  viz.  That  our  blessed  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ  is  himself  the  Lord  God  Almighty,  as  well  as  the 
Lamb,  to  whom  belong  all  the  divine  attributes,  and  consequent- 
ly all  the  divine  praise  and  adoration. 


[131.]  Apoc.  xi.  15.  "And  the  seventh  angel  sounded,  and 
''^  there  were  great  voices  in  heaven,  saying,  The  kingdoms  of 
"this  world  are  become  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord,  and  of  his 
"  Christ;  and  He  shall  reign  for  ever  and  ever," 


We  have  more  than  once  had  occasion  to  observe,  that  by  the 
term  Lord,  as  used  in  the  New  Testament,  is  understood  the 
same  as  by  the  term  Jehovah  in  the  Old  Testament.  In  tlie 
Apocalypse  or  book  of  Revelation,  particularly,  the  term  Lord 
denotes  the  essential  dii'iuitij,  called  also  the  Father;  while  by 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  29r 

the  term  Christ  is  meant  tlie  Divine  Humanity,  called  also  the 
Son.  Thus  whether  we  say  Jehovah  and  Jesus,  the  Father 
and  the  Son,  or  the  Lord  a;zfZ /lis  Christ,  still  only  one  and  the 
«ameLoRD  God  Almighty  is  understood,  though  one  name  has 
more  immediate  reference  to  the  invisible  Essence  or  Divinity, 
and  the  other  to  the  visible  Form  or  Humanity.  Taking  the  pas- 
sage, tlien,  in  this  plain  and  intelligible  point  of  view,  how  easy  is 
it  to  comprehend  what  is  meant  by  "  the  kingdoms  of  this  world 
''  becoming  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lor  d  and  of  his  C  hrist,"  and  by 
*'  his  reigning  for  ever  and  ever!"  namely,  that  now,  since  the 
commencement  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  and  henceforth  in  all  fu- 
ture generations,  the  church  on  earth,  as  well  as  the  church  in  the 
spiritual  world,  acknowledges,  and  will  acknowledge,  no  other 
Sovereign,  no  other  King  and  Ruler,  no  other  Object  of  worship, 
than  the  One  Supreme  God  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  in  his  Di- 
vine Humanity.  And  therefore,  looking  at  him  alone  with  the 
eyes  of  our  undei'standing,  and  worshipping  him  alone  with  the  af- 
fections of  our  heart,  we  join  the  four  and  twenty  elders  in  their 
angelic  glorification,  ver.  IT,  saying,  "  We  give  thee  thanks,  O 
'•  Lord  God  Almighty,  who  art,  and  wast,  and  art  to  come; 
"because  thou  hast  taken  to  thee  thy  great  power,  and  hast 
a  reigned.''^ 

But  for  a  moment  let  us  turn  our  faces  about,  to  see  what  is 

become  of  our  Unitarian  and  Trinitarian  opponents. They  are 

each  engaged  in  making  out  their  respective  views  of  the  subject  ut- 
tered by  the  great  voices  in  heaven,  and  in  reconciling  the  passage 
with  the  systems,  which  they  have  previously  adopted.  We  will 
first  listen  to  the  Unitarian,  who  reads  and  remarks  as  follows. 

"  The  kingdoms  of  this  world  are  become  the  kingdoms  of  our 
"  Lord,"  that  is,  of  the  Supreme  God,  whom  no  man  ever  hath 

"  seen,  or  ever  can  see,  except  in  his  works  of  creation. But 

'•  by  the  bye,  I  do  not  see  with  what  propriety  it  can  be  said,  that 
"  they  are  become  the  kingdoms  of  the  Supreme  God,  as  if  he  had 
"  only  just  now  acquired  the  dominion  over  them  j  when  yet  it 
"  must  be  plain  to  every  rational  mind,  that  the  kingdoms  of  this 
»'  world,  and  of  all  other  worlds  in  existence,  must  always  have 
"  been  under  his  sole  dominion  from  the  first  day  of  their  creation. 

Pp 


298  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

« Well ;  but  we  must  proceed. Slop  !  let  us  begin  again. 

" «  The  kingdoms  of  this  world  are  become  the  kingdoms  of 

"  our  Lord,"  aye,  of  the  Supreme  God,  as  before  observed, 

'•  and  of "  Really  I  tliink  there  is  no  occasion  to  read  any 

"further:  I  am  quite  satisfied,  that  the  Sui'reme  God  governs 
"  the  universe  by  his  nod,  that  nothing  can  withstand  his  power, 
"  and  that  every  thing  is  exactly  as  it  should  be.  "  For  who  hath 
^^  resisted  his  ivill  ?^^  Rom.  ix.  19.  It  is  wonderful,  that  the  errors 
"  and  interpolations,  which  have  crept  into  the  Scriptures  through 
"  the  carelessness  or  design  of  transcribers,  are  so  few  in  number, 
"  in  comparison  with  what  miglit  reasonably  have  been  expected, 
"  from  their  passing  through  so  many  hands,  in  so  many  succes- 
*'  sive  ages.  The  passage  before  us,  T  fear,  has  been  tampered 
"  witht  for  I  cannot  conceive  it  possible,  that  the  words,  whidi 
"  follow  next,  could  have  been  inserted  in  the  original  copy  :  ijiey 
"  have  no  meaning,  according  to  mif  notion  of  things,  at  least 
"none  worthy  of  a  divine  revelation  ;  and  they  certainly  militate 
"  against  all  our  ideas  of  the  sole  and  undivided  sovereignty  of  the 
"  great  Creator.  What  then  is  to  be  done  in  such  a  case  ^  Read 
"  it,  I  suppose,  I  must ;  because,  I  observe,  several  of  our  friends 
"  are  listening  to  this  soliloquy  of  mine,  and  perhaps  will  not  be 
<'  satisfied  without  seeing  tlie  thing  for  themselves.  Well,  then  : 
"  The  kingdoms  of  this  world  are  become  the  kingdoms  of  our 

"  Lord,  and  of his  Christ  ;  and  He  shall  reign  for  ever  and 

*'  ever,"  or  more  literally,  "  for  ages  of  ages."  Can  any  thins; 
"  now  be  more  evident,  than  that  the  words,  and  of  his  Christ, 
'•  are  an  interpolation :  since  the  latter  part  of  the  sentence  is 
"  so  well  connected  with  the  former,  on  a  supposition  of  their 
"being  omitted?  The  passage  will  then  run  as  follows :  "The 
"  kingdoms   of   this   world   are   become   the   kingdoms   of   our 

"  Lord  ;  and  He  shall  reign  for  ever  and  ever." Having 

"  thus  dexterously  got  rid  of  wliat  appeared  so  great  an  eye- 
"  sore,  so  unaccountable  an  interpolation  ;  how  beautiful  a.nd  hov/ 

"  rational  the  sentiment  in  it's  present  amended  form  ! still 

"h(>wever  with  the  exception  of  one  word,  which,  though  before 
*'  noticed,  was  not  completely  got  over,  and  which,  for  the  life  of 
"  me,  I  cannot  yet  tell  what  to  make  of.     The  kingdoms  are  said 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  299 

"  to  have  become  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord;  and  in  the  10th 
"  verse  of  the  very  next  chapter  it  is  again  written,  "  Now  is  come 
"  salvation,  and  strength,  and  the  kingdom  of  our  God."    It  does 

"not  signify;  I  must  turn  to  the  original: and  there  I 

"  find  the  same  word  in  both  places.  To  be  sure,  the  word  may 
"  signify  simply  to  be  ;  in  which  case  the  passage  asserts  no  more, 
"  than  that  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  are  the  kingdoms  of  our 
«*  Lord,  and  of  his  Christ  :  but  in  most  cases  it  denotes  a  com- 
"  ing  to  pass  of  something,  which  did  not  before  exist,  at  least  in 
"  the  same  state  or  respect.  This  criticism,  thei-efore,  I  fear,  will 
"  avail  me  nothing :  and  after  all,  recourse  must  still  be  had  to 
"  the  old,  effectual,  and  by  far  the  most  expeditious  way  of  get- 

"  ting  clear  of  all  difficulties. [Here  a  by-stander  gently 

"  whispers  into  the  speaker's  ear,  "  Pray,  Sir,  what  may  that 

«  be  .?"J "  What  ?  Why,  as  our  good  friend  Dr.  Priestley 

"  said  more  than  twenty  years  ago,  when  writing  against  the  doc- 
"  trines  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  and  the  divinity  of  Jesus  Christ, 
"  boldly  to  conclude,  that  some  error  has  crept  into  the  text.  For 
'•  who  does  not  see,  that  it  is  impossible  for  any  mere  man,  as  Je- 
"  sus  Christ  undoubtedly  is,  to  share  with  the  great  Jehovah 
"  in  the  empire  of  the  universe,  to  be  the  joint -sovereign  with 
"him  over  the  kingdoms  of  this  world,  and  to  become  the  rival, 
"  in  omnipotence,  of  the  Creator  of  heaven  and  eartli  ?  And  we 
"  all  know,  that  what  is  impossible  in  it's  own  nature,  can  never 
"  be  made  the  truth  of  revelation." 

Such  is  the  language,  the  reasoning,  and  the  conclusion  of  the 
Unitarian,  who  measures  every  thing  by  a  standard  of  his  own 
framing,  who  can  see  through  no  other  medium,  and  by  no  other 
light,  than  that  of  mere  nature. Let  us  now  hear  the  Trinita- 
rian. He  also  pursues  his  meditation  in  the  same  way,  as  the 
Unitarian  has  dong,  by  first  reading,  and  then  commenting  upon 
the  passage. 

"  The  kingdoms  of  this  world  are  become  the  kingdoms  of  our 
"  Lord,"  that  is,  of  God  the  Father,  the  first  person  in  the 
"  divine  trinity :  for  though  there  are  two  other  persons,  and  each 
*'  of  them  entitled  to  the  name  of  Lord,  as  well  as  tlie  first  per- 
"  son,  still  it  is  presumedj  that  the  Father  must  be  here  meant, 


300  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

«  partly  out  of  deference  to  the  rank  he  holds  in  the  trinity,  and 
"  partly  because  mention  is  afterwards  made  of  Christ,  who  is 
"  the  Son,  or  second  person.  Butliow  it  happens  to  be  asserted, 
''  that  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  are  now,  as  it  were  for  the  first 
"  time,  become  the  kingdoms  of  God  the  Father,  is  perhaps  dif- 
*'  ficult  to  be  explained.  I  suppose  there  is  some  mystery  in  the 
''  affair  :  and  if  so,  we  have  nothing  to  do,  but  to  submit  our  un- 
*'  derstanding  to  faith,  and  without  any  more  ado  believe  it:  for 
"  this  is  the  very  way  we  get  through  all  the  difficulty  about  a 
«'  trinity  of  persons,  when  we  hold  out,  that  each  of  them  sepa- 
"  rately  and  by  himself  is  one  complete  Lord  and  God,  and  yet 

"  all  of  them  together  make  no  more  than  one! Well,  but  to 

*'  proceed ;  "  The  kingdoms  of  this  world  are  become  the  king- 
"  doms  of  our  Lord,  and  of  his  Christ,"  that  is,  of  the  second 
*'  person  in  the  trinity,  called  the  Son,  who  being  co-equal  in  ma- 
*' jesty,  glory,  and  divinity,  with  the  Father  himself,  is  there- 
"  fore  equally  entitled  to  dominion  over  the  works  of  creation,  as 
"  well  as  of  grace.  I  see  no  necessity  at  all  for  having  recourse 
"  to  any  supposed  interpolations  or  additions  to  the  sacred  text^ 
'*  as  the  Unitarian  pretends  to  say  he  does.  For  why  may  not  the 
"  government  of  the  universe  be  a  joint  concern  between  two  di- 
"  vine  persons?  nay,  if  we  come  to  that,  and  even  between  f/tj^ee.^ 
<'  or,  as  St.  Augustine  sajs,  any  other  number  of  persons  that  we 
''  please  f*  since  it  is  not  yet  absolutely  settled  which  scheme, 
*'  that  of  the  Realists,  or  that  of  the  J\i^ominalists,  is  the  truest  and 
"  the  best  ?  At  any  rate  the  words  of  the  text  are  positive  as  to 
'■^  two  persons:  and  therefore,  beyond  all  further  controversy, 

"  the  question  is  so /ar  decided. We  proceed  again  :  "  The 

"  kingdoms  of  this  world  are  become  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord, 
"  and  of  his  Christ;  and  He  shall  reign  for  ever  and  ever." 
*'  Who  now  is  meant  by  the  term  He  ?  To  which  of  the  divine 
"  persons  already  named  does  this  pronoun  refer  ^  to  the  Fa- 

*  St.  Austin,  (as  he  is  called,)  although  he  wrote  fifteen  books  about  the 
Trinity,  was  yet  so  far  from  understanding  it,  that  he  says,  book  5,  cap.  9, 
that  there  are  not  three  persons  only  in  the  Trinity,  but  that  there  may  be  aiut 
other  number !  Remember,  reader,  this  is  one  of  the /«/Aers  of  the  Christian 
cljurch,  so  called. 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  301 

*•  THER,  or  to  the  Son  ?  to  hiin  who  is  distinguished  by  the  ap- 
••*  pellation  Lord,  or  to  him  who  is  called  Christ  ?  Who  knows 
"  (a  lucky  thought !)  but  it  may  bear  some  allusion  to  the  third 
*'  person,  called  the  Holy  Ghost  ?  especially  as  it  is  introduced 
"  immediately  after  the  first  and  second  person,  which  certainly 
"  is  the  right  order  ?  I  am  half  inclined  to  think,  that  it  does. 
"  And  yet  I  must  confess,  I  should  have  been  better  satisfied, 
^'  had  distinct  mention  been  first  made  of  all  the  three  persons  ; 

"  and  then,  to  shew  the  unanimity hold  !  let  me  correct  my- 

"  self !  I  mean  the  unity  of  them  all,  the  closing  words  would  have 
"  had  their  full  effect,  and  the  tri-personal  scheme  would  have  tri- 
"  umphed  over  every  opposition.  For  then  the  sovereignty  would 
"  have  been  fairly  divided  amongst  the  three  divine  persons,  and 
"  they  would  all  have  concurred  in  ruling  and  reigning  as  One 

"  God  for  ever  and  ever. But  I  am  afraid  this  is  getting  on 

"  too  fast;  and  that  such  an  argument,  or  rather  such  an  hypo- 
^'  thesis,  cannot  be  maintained  from  the  passage,  as  it  really 
"  stands.  Well,  I  see  there  is  no  end  to  conjecture  ;  and  that, 
"  when  a  man  starts  in  such  a  race,  he  only  runs  himself  out  of 
"  breath,  and  at  last  comes  back  again  to  the  old  spot,  almost 
•'  fatigued  to  death.  The  only  safe,  smooth,  and  comfortable  way 
•'  then,  after  all,  is,  to  receive  as  oi'i/ioc?oa*  whatsoever  the  church 
•'  has  established  since  the  days  of  Athanasius ;  to  set  down  all 
"  knotty  and  disputable  points  as  so  many  mysteries  of  faith, 
*'  which  are  not  to  be  investigated,  much  less  understood,  but  sim- 
•<  ply  to  be  believed  ;  in  short,  to  take  and  leave  every  thing  Jjfsi 
•'  as  I  find  it,  and  to  allow  to  others  the  pleasure,  (if  any,)  as  well 
"  as  the  pain  and  profit,  of  ransacking  their  brains  to  find  out 
"  what  neither  they  nor  any  one  else  will  ever  be  able  to  disco- 
*■'  ver." 

Having  thus  patiently  listened  to  the  reasonings  and  observa- 
tions of  the  Unitarian,  and  of  the  Trinitarian,  till  we  are  fairly 
tired  out  with  their  childishness,  as  well  as  their  length,  but  which 
nevertheless  we  thought  we  might  venture  for  once  to  hear,  we 
have  now  only  to  remark,  that  the  passage,  which  gave  rise  to  all 
these  reflections,  is  in  itself  so  plain  and  easy  to  be  understood,  as 
the  intelligent  reader  must  be  well  aware,  on  the  principle  of 


302  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

there  being  only  One  God  in  One  Divine  Person,  and  that  God 
being  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  that  none  of  the 
doubts,  absurdities,  and  implied  contradictions,  Avith  which  we 
have  seen  it  loaded  in  otiier  hands,  do  in  the  least  apply,  or,bear 
upon  it,  when  viewed  in  it's  true  and  genuine  light.  On  the  con- 
trary, the  very  darkness,  which  is  so  visible,  nay  tangible,  on  the 
approach  of  certain  reasoners,  doubters,  and  debaters,  serves  only 
to  make  tlie  liglit  of  trutli,  where  it  does  appear,  more  grateful  to 
tlie  eve,  and  more  delightful  to  the  heart. 


[IS2.3  Apoc.  xii.  10.  "  And  I  heard  a  loud  voice,  saying  in 
"  heaven.  J\'*oiv  is  come  salvation,  and  strength,  and  the  kingdom 
"  of  our  God,  and  the  power  of  his  Christ." 


Here  again,  as  in  the  preceding  article,  the  kingdom  of  God, 
and  the  power  of  his  Christ,  are  both  mentioned  together,  as 
having  taken  place  in  consequence  of  some  change  of  state  in  the 
church.  In  the  former  part  of  the  chapter  it  is  expressly  said, 
that  there  was  war  in  heaven,  and  that  after  a  close  engagement 
between  Michael  and  his  angels  on  the  one  part,  and  the  dragon, 
the  old  serpent,  called  the  Devil  and  Satan,  with  his  angels,  on 
the  other  part,  victory  declared  in  favour  of  the  former,  and  the 
latter  were  completely  overthrown.  The  result  of  this  victory, 
and  change  of  state,  is  then  described  as  an  accession  of  strengtli 
or  power  both  to  God  and  Christ.  In  what  manner  this  is  to  be 
understood,  we  have  already  explained  ;  and  at  the  same  time 
shewn,  that  by  the  term  Lord  or  God  is  meant  the  Essential  Di- 
vinity of  our  Saviour,  and  by  the  term  Christ  his  Divine  Huma- 
nity. From  which  consideration  it  folh>ws,  that  wheresoever  or 
with  whomsoever  the  Lord  is  thus  acknowledged,  there  or  in  re- 
ference to  such  an  one  it  may  be  truly  said,  that  "  noiv  is  come 
"  salvation,  and  strength,  and  the  kingdom  of  our  God,  and  the 
^*  power  of  his  Christ." 

The  dragon  and  his  angels  denote  all  those,  who  maintain  the 
doctrine  of  a  trinity  of  persons  in  the  Godhead,  who  deny  the  Di* 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  303 

vinity  of  the  Lord's  Humanity,  and  who  make  faith  alone  sepa- 
rate from  charity  to  carry  with  it  the  power  of  salvation.  On  the 
other  hand,  Michael  and  his  angels  denote  all  those,  who  main- 
tain the  doctrine  of  a  divine  trinity  in  one  person,  viz.  in  the  per- 
son of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  ;  who  believe  that  his 
Humanity  is  wholly  Divine,  he  and  the  Father  being  One  God,  as 
the  body  and  soul  are  one  man ;  and  who  moreover  insist  upon 
the  necessity  of  joining  to  a  true  faith  in  him  the  principle  of  love 
and  charity,  by  living  according  to  the  precepts  of  the  decalogue. 
The  war  in  heaven,  or  in  the  spiritual  world,  is  the  opposition  be- 
tween these  two  doctrines  in  the  minds  of  men  ;  and  the  victory 
of  Michael  over  the  dragon  clearly  points  out  the  ultimate  success 
and  prevalence  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  which  will  in  due  time 
surmount  every  obstacle  thrown  in  it's  way,  and  at  length  become 
a  praise  and  a  blessing  in  all  the  earth. 


[133.]  Apoc.  xiv.  4.  "  These  [the  hundred  and  forty-four 
"  thousand]  are  they  who  folloio  the  Lamb  whithersoever  he  go- 
*'  eth :  these  were  redeemed  from  among  men,  being  the  first- 
'^  fruits  unto  God,  and  to  the  Lamb." 


How  unworthy  of  divine  revelation  must  that  doctrine  be, 
■which  teaches,  that  the  Object  so  constantly  held  up  to  our  view 
in  the  Sacred  Pages,  and  in  the  present  passage  described  as  the 
centre  of  attraction  to  those  who  are  saved,  should  yet  be  no  bet- 
ter in  his  own  nature,  and  no  higher  in  his  origin,  than  the  very 
persons  who  unceasingly  follow  him  with  their  praises  and  accla- 
mations !  no  other  than  a  mere  man .'  If  indeed  he  merit  all  this 
glory  heaped  upon  him,  absurd  and  ridiculous  in  the  extreme  must 
it  be  to  rank  him  even  as  the  highest  among  created  beings  ;  since 
the  very  first  condition  of  the  existence  of  the  highest,  as  well  as 
of  the  lowest,  finite  creature  is,  that  he  shall  for  ever  be  as  no- 
thing, in  order  that  the  infinite  Creator  may  be  every-thing. 

In  all  the  Scriptures  this  great  truth  is  never  lost  sight  of:  and 
therefore  we  may  be  sure,  that  those  divine  honours,  which  so 


304  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

abundantly  distinguish  the  Lamb,  can  belong  only  to  the  St- 
PREME  God,  who  is  pleased  to  designate  by  that  name  the  Huma- 
nity assumed  by  himself,  for  the  salvation  of  the  world.  Ho  iv  else 
could  it  with  propriety  be  said,  that  the  hundred  and  forty -four 
thousand,  being  redeemed  from  among  men,  were  the  first-fruits 
unto  God,  and  to  the  Lamb  ?  And  how  else  could  these  obtain 
the  character  given  them  in  ver.  5,  of  having  a  mouth  free  from 
guile,  and  of  being  icithoiit  fault  before  the  throne  of  God,  if  all 
the  while  they  were  practising  a  double  worship,  one  directed  to 
the  Creator,  and  the  other  to  the  creattire  ? 

The  first-fruits,  in  the  representative  church,  were  offered  to 
Jehovah,  as  an  acknowledgment,  that  the  whole  harvest,  all  the 
products  of  the  earth,  with  every  other  blessing  spiritual  and  natu- 
ral, were  the  gift  of  his  bountiful  hand.  So  in  the  real  church, 
the  hundred  and  forty -four  thousand  are  said  to  be  the  first-fruits 
unto  God,  and  to  the  Lamb,  because,  as  divine  truth  teaches,  the 
redemption  and  salvation  of  them,  as  well  as  of  the  countless 
multitudes  represented  by  them,  who  in  like  manner  shall  follow 
the  Lamb  whithersoever  he  goes,  is  alone  to  be  ascribed  to  the 
same  omnipotent  and  merciful  Being,  whose  Divinity  and  Hu- 
inanity  (called  also  his  Divine  Humanity)  are  so  repeatedly  re- 
ferred to  under  the  terms  God  and  the  Lamb. 


[134.]  Apoc.  xvii.  14.  "  These  shall  make  war  with  the  Lamh. 
'•and  the  Lamb  shall  overcome  them  :  for  he  is  Lord  of  Lords, 
"  AND  King  of  Kings." 


By  the  titles,  which  arc  given  to  any  one,  we  learn  to  kno\v  and 
estimate  his  character,  quality,  and  office.  Of  Jehovah  it  is 
written,  and  none  will  dispute  the  word,  that  he  is  "  God  of  gods, 
"  and  Lord  of  lords,"  Deut.  x.  17;  that  he  is  ^^  a.  great  King 
"overall  the  earth,-'  Ps.  xlvii.  2,  7;  that  ''he  removeth  kings, 
"  and  setteth  up  kings,''  being  himself  the  "  Lord  of  kings," 
Dan.  ii.  21,  47;  that  as  tlie  Most  High  "  he  ruleih  over  the  king- 
"  dom  of  men,  and  giveth  it  to  whomsoever  he  will,'"  Dan.  iv.  17. 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  30J 

Jiideed  so  peculiarly  appropriate  to  the  great  Ruler  of  the  uni- 
verse are  the  titles  and  powers  above  ascribed  to  him,  that  the 
very  idea  of  applying  them  to  any  other  (except  representatively 
and  subordinately,  as  in  Dan.  ii.  37.)  must  excite  in  the  breast  of 
every  considerate  person  a  species  of  indignation,  which  cannot 
perhaps  be  better  expressed  than  in  the  words  of  the  Psalmist, 
^^  Who  in  the  heaven  can  be  compared  unto  Jehovah.^  ff^ho 
"among  the  sons  of  the  mighty  can  be  likened  unto  Jkhovah  .'"' 
Ps.  Ixxxix.  6. 

Here  however  we  find  the  same  titles,  with  the  same  power 
and  authority,  which  belong  exclusively  to  Jehovah,  asci-ibed 
also  to  the  Lamb.  And  hence  we  are  naturally  led  to  inquire, 
Who  is  the  Lamb,  and  what  is  he,  that  such  extraordinary  de- 
ference is  paid  to  him  in  this  book  of  divine  revelation  }  Can  all 
this  honour  rest  upon  the  head  of  a  mere  creature,  dependent  for 
his  very  existence  on  the  nod  of  him,  whose  jealousy  never  yet 
suffered  an  equal,  and  whose  glory,  if  shared  by  another,  would 
necessarily  tarnish,  and  at  length  perish  ^  No  :  it  can  belong  on- 
ly to  him,  who  "  hath  all  power  in  heaven  and  in  earth,"  Matt, 
xxviii.  18;  to  him,  who,  whether  he  be  called  a  Lion,  or  a  Lamb, 
Apoc.  V.  5,  6  ;  a  Lord,  or  a  King,  chap.  xvii.  14 ;  chap.  xix.  I6j 
the  First,  or  the  Last,  chap.  i.  17;  chap.  xxii.  13  ;  the  Root  of 
David,  or  the  Offspring  of  David,  chap.  v.  5;  chap.  xxii.  16; 
the  Morning  Star,  or  the  Sun  of  Righteousness,  chap.  i.  16 ; 
chap.  X.  1;  chap.  xix.  17;  chap.  xxi.  23;  chap.  xxii.  16;  the  Son 
OF  Man,  or  Son  of  God,  chap.  i.  13  ;  chap.  ii.  18  ;  the  Faithful 
Witness,  or  the  Word  of  God,  chap.  i.  5 ;  chap.  xix.  13;  an 
Angel,  or  the  Sender  OF  Angels,  chap.  X.  1;  chap.  xix.  17; 
chap.  xxii.  6,  16;  Jesus,  or  Christ,  chap.  xix.  10;  chap.  xx.  6; 
— is  yet  no  other  than  the  Lord  God  Almighty  himself  i?i  a  Aji- 
man  form,  chap.  i.  8  to  18;  the  Bridegroom  and  Husband  of 
his  church,  chap.  xix.  7;  chap.  xxi.  9  ;  the  Creator  of  the  world, 
John  i.  3,  10;  the  Everlasting  Father,  Isa.  ix.  6 ;  John  xiv. 
9 ;  the  Fountain  and  Giver  of  life,  salvation,  and  eternal  happi- 
ness, John  X.  28  ;  chap.  xi.  25,  26.  Well  and  truly  then  is  he 
declare*!  to  be  the  I^ord  of  Lords,  and  King  of  Kings,  as  aloae 


506  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

worthy  to  receive  the  homage  of  all  in  heaven  above,  and  all  in 
tlie  church  below. 


[135.3  Apoc.  xix.  7,  9.  "  Let  us  be  glad  and  rejoice,  and  giva 
"  honour  to  Him  [the  Lord  God  Omnipotent:]  for  the  viarri- 
*'  age  of  the  Lamb  is  come,  and  his  wife  hath  made  herself 
"  readj.  Blessed  are  they,  who  are  called  to  the  marriage-sup- 
^^  per  of  the  Lamb." 


By  the  Lamb,  as  we  have  already  seen,  is  meant  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  with  respect  to  his  Divine  Humanity,  who  is  call- 
ed a  Bridegroom  and  Husband.  By  his  wife  is  meant  the  church, 
which  acknowledges  him  alone,  not  only  as  her  Saviour  and  Re- 
deemer, but  also  as  her  God,  yea  as  the  One  Only  God  of  heaven 
and  earth.  This  vital  acknowledgment  produces  interior  and  full 
conjunction  with  him ;  and  such  conjunction  is  what  is  under- 
stood by  the  marriage  of  the  Lamb,  which  only  then  takes  place 
in  the  church  general,  or  in  the  church  individual,  when  the  Hu- 
manity of  the  Lord  is  immediately  approached,  and  worshipped  as 
Divine. 

The  reason  why  the  marriage  of  the  Lamb  is  described  as  a 
new  event  in  the  church,  is,  because  heretofore,  that  is  to  say,  be- 
fore the  second  advent  of  the  Lord,  or  before  the  commencement 
of  the  New  Jerusalem,  it  was  not  clearly  or  fully  known,  that  in 
Jesus  Christ  is  comprized  the  whole  of  the  divine  trinity  ;  that 
as  to  his  Divinity  or  Soul  he  is  the  Father,  as  to  liis  Humanity  or 
Body  he  is  the  Son,  and  as  to  his  proceeding  Operation  or  Influ- 
ence he  is  the  Holy  Spirit;  thus  that  his  Humanity  is  really  and 
truly  Divine,  because  in  perfect  union  with  the  Divinity  within 
him ;  and  consequently  that  as  to  his  Divine  Humanity  he  is  the 
sole  legitimate  and  accessible  Object  of  all  worship.  But  the 
great  event  of  the  Lord's  second  advent  having  at  length  actual- 
ly taken  place,  and  with  it  the  commencement  of  the  New  and 
True  Christian  Church,  called  the  New  Jerusalem.  t])e  knowledg-e 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  S07 

of  the  above-mentioned  truths  has  already  been  communicated  to 
the  world,  and  in  consequence  thereof  the  marriage  of  the  Lamb 
is  now  announced,  the  church  his  bride  and  wife  is  now  in  a  state 
ol  preparation  to  receive  and  honour  him,  and  "  blessed  are  they, 
"  who  are  called  to  the  marriage-supper  of  the  Lamb." 

It  is  observable  in  the  passage  before  us,  that  the  arrival  of  the 
time  for  the  marriage  of  the  Lamb,  as  above  described,  is  stated 
as  a  reason  why  the  church  ought  to  rejoice,  and  give  honour  to 
the  Lord  God  Omnipotent.  And  surely,  upon  the  principles 
here  advanced,  nothing  can  be  better  calculated  to  yield  glory  and 
honour  to  the  Lord  God  Omnipotent,  than  the  consideration 
that  He  Himself  in  his  Divine  Humanity  is  that  very  Lamb, 
with  whom  the  church  has  now  entered  into  spiritual  covenant 
and  conjunction,  as  into  a  marriage  with  her  Divine  Husband. 
Whereas,  on  a  supposition  that  the  Lamb,  or  Jesus,  who  is  so 
called,  were  no  other  than  a  mere  man,  or  a  mere  angel,  or  a  mere 
creature  of  any  supposed  rank  ;  or  were  he  even  what  some  pre- 
tend to  say  he  is,  a  mere  second,  meaning  a  second-rate  person  in 
the  Trinity  ;  in  either  of  these  cases,  so  far  would  spiritual  con- 
junction or  marriage  with  him  be  from  j^^omoting  the  honour  of 
the  Lord  God  Omnipotent,  that  it  would,  on  the  contrary,  de- 
tract from  it,  in  the  exact  proportion  in  which  any  other  name, 
any  other  being,  or  any  other  person,  than  the  One  Supreme  God 
and  Father  himself,  should  be  set  up  in  competition  or  in  con- 
junction with  him. 

Again,  therefore,  we  feel  ourselves  at  home,  and  as  it  were 
seated  at  the  very  marriage-supper  itself,  in  company  with  an  in- 
numerable assemblage  of  angels  and  happy  spirits,  while  we  draw 
the  conclusion,  which  all  in  heaven  with  one  unanimous  voice  of 
exultation  affirm,  that  the  Lord  God  Omnipotent  and  the  Lamb 
are  still  one  and  the  same  ever-blessed  and  ever-adorable  God. 


[136.]  Apoc.  xix.  10.    "The  testimony  of  Jesus  is  the  spirit 
"  of  prophecy.''^ 


308  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

So  very  important  has  this  passage  been  thought,  that  it  has 
been  selected  as  the  motto  or  ruling  feature  of  the  present  work : 
because  it's  whole  drift  is  to  testify,  both  from  the  letter  and  from 
the  spirit  of  the  Word,  tluit  is,  from  the  mouth  of  Jesus  himself, 
that  he  alone  is  the  Suprkme  God  of  heaven  and  earth  ;  and  con- 
sequently that  every  other  being  is  and  ought  to  be  for  ever  ex- 
cluded from  all  participation  in  any  one  of  the  divine  attributes, 
from  all  share  in  any  thing  resembling  divine  adoration. 

The  testimony  of  J ^svs  is  frequently  named  in  the  Apocalypse, 
and  by  it  is  understood  the  same  as  by  the  Word  of  God,  viz.  an 
avowal  of  the  Divinity  of  the  Lord's  Humanity,  and  the  necessi- 
ty of  a  life  according  to  the  cq^mmandments  ;  on  which  account 
they  are  also  mentioned  both  together,  in  like  manner  as  the  terms 
God  and  the  Lamb  :  see  chap.  i.  2,  9  ;  chap.  vi.  9  ;  chap.  xii.  17 ; 
chap.  xvi.  12;  and  chap.  xx.  4.  And  this  testimony  is  not  only 
given  by  or  from  Jesus,  even  in  those  cases  where  others  testify 
of  him,  by  a  power  and  illumination  derived  from  him  ;  but  it  is  a 
testimony  also  entirely  concerning  himftelf:  and  hence  the  very 
spirit  of  all  jJrophecy,  that  is,  of  all  divine  revelation,  most  inte- 
riorly considered,  is  wholly  and  solely  occupied  in  describing  his 
person  and  character,  either  in  his  state  of  humiliation,  or  in  his 
state  of  glorification  ;  his  divine  attributes  and  perfections;  his 
infinite  love  to  mankind,  which  prompted  him  to  become  their 
Saviour  and  Redeemer,  as  before  he  had  been  their  Creator;  his 
infinite  wisdom,  which  enabled  him  to  foresee  and  provide  the 
means  necessary  to  effect  his  purpose  ;  and  his  divine  omnipo- 
tence in  accomplishing  all  the  ends  which  he  had  in  view  frorai  the 
first  day  of  creation,  and  which  he  will  unceasingly  pursue  through 
the  never-ending  ages  of  eternity. 

In  confirmation  of  these  great  truths,  we  read  as  follows. 
<'  John  came  for  a  witness,  to  bear  witness  of  the  light.  He  was 
*'  not  that  light,  but  was  sent  to  bear  witness  of  that  light.  John 
"  bare  witness  of  him,  and  cried,  saying.  This  was  he,  of  whom  I 
"  spake,  He  that  cometh  after  me,  is  preferred  before  me  :  for  he 
"  was  before  me,"  John  i.  T,  8,  15.  "  Ye  sent  unto  John,  and  he 
-'■  bare  witness  unto  the  truth.     But  I  receive  not  testimony  from 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  509 

«  man.     I  have  greater  witness  than  that  of  John  :  for  the  works, 
"  which  the  Father  hath  given  me  to  do,  the  same  works  that  I 
"  do,  bear  witness  of  me,  that  the  Father  hath  sent  me.     And  the 
"  Father  himself,  who  hath  sent  me,  hath  borne  witness  of  me. 
"  Search  the  Scriptures ;  for  in  them  ye  think  ye  have  eternal 
"  life,  and  they  are  they  which  testify  of  me.     Had  ye  believed 
"  Moses,  ye  would  have  believed  me  ;  for  he  wrote  of  7ue,"  John 
V.  33,  34,  36,  37,  39,  46.     "  The  Pharisees  said  unto  him.  Thou 
^^bearest  record  of  thyself ;  thy  record  is  not  true.     Jesus  an- 
»'  swered  and  said  unto  them,  Tliough  I  bear  record  of  myself, 
"  yet  my  record  is  true.     I  am  one  that  bear  witness  of  myself; 
"  and  the  Father,  that  sent  me,  beareth  ivitness  of  me.     Then  said 
"  they  unto  him,  Where  is  thy  Father  .'*  Jesus  answered.  Ye  nei- 
<'  ther  know  me,  nor  my  Father :  if  ye  had  known  me,  ye  would 
"  have  known  ?ny  Faffter  a/so,"  John  viii.  13,  14,   18,  19.     For 
« I  and  my  Father  are  One,^^  John  x.  30.     '•  Your  fiither  Abra- 
"  ham  rejoiced  to  see  my  day :  and  he  saw  it,  and  was  glad.* 
"  Then  said  the  Jews  unto  him.  Thou  art  not  yet  fifty  years  old, 
"  and  hast  thou  seen  Jibraham?  Jesus  said.  Verily  verily  I  say 
"  unto  you.  Before  Jibraham  was,  I  am,^^  John  viii.  56  to  58.  "  Je- 
"  sus  saith,  I  am  the  way,  and  the  truth,  and  the  life.     He  that 
"  hath  seen  me,  hath  seen  the  Father,''''  John  xiv.  6,  9.     "  When 
"  the  Comforter  is  come,  whom  I  will  send  unto  you  from  the  Fa^ 
"  ther,  even  the  Spirit  of  truth,  which  proceedeth  from  the  Fa- 
"  ther,  he  shall  testify  of  mp,"  John  xv.  26.     "  He  shall  not  speak 
•'  of  himself:  he  shall  glorify  me  ;  for  he  shall  receive  of  viine, 
"  and  shall  shew  it  unto  you.     Ml  things  that  the  Father  hath,  are 
"  mine :  therefore  said  I,  that  he  shall  take  of  mine,  and  shall  shew 
"  it  unto  you,"  John  xvi.  13  to  15.  Lastly,  when  two  of  his  disci- 
ples, travelling  to  Emmaus,  related  to  Jesus,  who  was  as  yet  un- 
known to  them,  and  considered  by  them  as  a  mere  stranger, the  won- 
derful things  which  had  just  then  happened,  and  which  had  placed 
them  in  a  state  of  doubt  and  anxiety  as  to  his  character,  "  he  said 
^'  unto  them,  O  fools,  and  slow  of  heart  to  believe  all  that  the  pro- 
*^ pheis  have  spoken  J  ought  not  Christ  to  have  suffered  these 

•  See  the  xvii.  and  xviii.  chapters  of  Genesis. 


SIO  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

**  tltin;;s.  and  to  enter  into  his  glory  ?  And  beginning  at  J/os?.", 
«  and  all  the  prophets^  he  expounded  unto  thera,  in  all  the  8crip- 
"  tures,  tlie  things  concerning  himself. ^^ — And  to  tlie  rest  of  the 
disciples  he  said,  '■  These  are  the  words,  which  I  spake  unto  you, 
*"  while  I  was  yet  with  you,  that  all  things  must  he  fulfilled^  which 
"  ivere  written  in  the  law  of  Jloses,  and  in  the  Prophets,  and  in 
«'  the  Fsalms,  concernins:  ■j/ic,"*  Luke  xxiv.  25  to  27,  44. 


•  It  is  remarkable,  tliat  our  Lord,  in  this  passage,  has  designated,  or  given 
us  a  key  lo  discover,  those  books  of  the  Old  Testament,  as  well  as  those  of  the 
New,  which  alone  ou^ht  lo  be  regarded  as  canonical  or  of  divine  avthority  in 
the  church,  because  written  under  the  immediate  influence  and  dictation  of  the 
spirit  of  Jehovah,  or  the  Lord,  and  in  their  inmost  sense  treating  of  Him  alone. 
The  Law  of  Ptoses  denotes  all  the  historical  parts  of  tlie  Word ;  the  Prophets, 
all  the  prophetical  parts  ;  and  the  Psalms  may  fairly  be  supposed  to  include 
not  only  that  portion  of  the  AVord,  which  is  so  named,  but  likewise  all  those 
other  parts  which  bear  the  form  and  spiritof  prayers,  praises,  thanksgivings, 
and  celebrations  of  tlie  Lord.  This  rule,  therefore,  which  so  well  applies  to 
the  Old  Testament,  may  also  be  applied  to  the  New  ;  and  by  it  we  are  enabled 
to  di'iinguish  those  books,  which  are  absolutely  divine  to  the  very  letter,  irom 
those  which,  though  excellent  in  their  kind,  are  yet  only  the  productions  of 
g0f)d  and  pious  men. 

It  is  true,  that,  when  our  Lord  declared,  that  the  Scriptures  treated  of  him, 
tlie  New  Testament  was  not  then  in  being,  or  rather  was  not  penned  in  the 
letter.  But  it  is  to  be  remembered,  that  the  words  of  Him,  with  whom  there 
is  no  succession  of  time,  with  whom  \\\e  future  and  the  past  are  equally /ire»<;«/, 
and  who  could  say,  "  Before  Mraham  was,  I  am,**  John  viiL  58,  are  not  to  be 
interpreted  by  any  rules  derived  from  either  time  or  space,  mere  relations  of 
tnntier,  but  in  agreement  with  that  spiritual  and  universal  view  of  divine  reve- 
lation, which  embraces  the  church,  and  all  things  belonging  to  it,  not  only  in 
the  past  and  present  age,  but  also  in  that  which  is  still  to  come. 

It  is  well  known,  that  many  of  these  predictions,  in  the  Old  Testament,  of 
events  which  were  to  take  place  in  the  future  a^es,  are  written  in  the  present, 
and  many  even  in  the  past  tense  :  and  it  is  a  peculiarity  in  the  Hebrew  lan- 
guage, that  the  preterperfect  and  the/«^wre  tenses  are  mutually  convertible 
into  each  otlier,  by  prefixing  the  letter  row,  which  signifies  and,  and  may 
therefore  well  be  supposed  to  involve  their  conjunction  in  one.  David  was  Mell 
aware,  that  with  the  Lord  all  times  and  states  are  alike  present,  howsoever 
with  finite  creatures  they  undergo  successions  and  vicissitudes.  "Thine 
"eyes  (says  he,  addressing  Jkuotah,)  did  see  my  substance  yet  being  unper- 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  31  i 

We  see  then  what  is  the  nature  of  the  testimony,  which  Jesus 
gives  of  himself,  and  what  the  testimony  which  the  Word  from 
first  to  last  gives  concerning  him.  But,  as  a  most  distinguishing 
and  remarkable  circumstance,  it  is  observable,  tliat  the  Father  him- 
self, known  also  by  the  name  of  Jehovah,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  or 
Comforter,  both  unite  in  giving  their  testimony  wholly  and  solely 
concerning  Jesus  !  This  extraordinary  fact  cannot  be  too  strong- 
ly impressed  upon  the  mind  of  the  reader.  It  speaks  louder,  and 
more  effectually,  than  any  testimony  proceeding  from  the  lips  of 
either  angel  or  man.  The  reason  of  the  case  may  likewise  be  ea- 
sily perceived  :  it  is  doubtless  because,  Jesus  being  actually  Je- 

"fect,  and  in  thy  book  all  my  members  (or  rather  days)  were  -written,  which 
**  in  continuance  were  fashioned,  -when  as  yet  there  ■u.-aa  none  of  them,"  Vs. 
cxxxix.  16.  In  like  manner  the  four  Gospels,  and  the  Apocalypse,  being  the 
•nly  divine  books  of  the  New  Testament,  and  being  at  the  same  time  both  his- 
torical and  prophetical,  may  be  truly  said  te  have  been  already  written  in  spi- 
ritf  e^'en  -when  as  yet,  in  the  letter,  there  -was  none  of  them. 

Thus  our  Lord  himself  has  been  graciously  pieased  to  give  us  the  rule,  by 
which  we  are  to  judge  of  those  books  and  writings,  which  alone  deserve  to  be 
honoured  by  the  church  as  divine,  viz.  That  in  their  Inmost  sense  they  treat 
solely  of  him,  and  in  a  subordinate  sense  of  the  things  relating  to  his  kingdom. 
It  is  in  these  respects  alone,  that  the  Scriptures  are  acknowledged  to  be  sa- 
cred, the  truths  which  they  contain  to  be  divine,  and  their  whole  spirit  and 
expression  to  be  the  Word  of  God,  and  the  Testimony  or  Jesus.  In  agree- 
ment with  this  view  of  our  Lord's  woi-ds,  a  particular  enumeration  oi  all  the 
divine  books  contained  in  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  is  given  by  Emanuel  Sweden- 
borg  in  his  Arcana  Ccelestia,  n.  10,335  ;  in  the  JVe-w  Jerusalem,  audit's  Heaven- 
ly Doctrine,  n.  266 :  and  in  the  White  Horse,  n.  16 ;  being  as  follows.  In  the 
Old  Testament,  the  five  books  of  Moses,  called  Genesis,  Exodus,  Leviticus, 
Numbers,  and  Deuteronomy  ;  the  book  of  Joshua,  the  book  of  Judges,  the  tw» 
books  of  Samuel,  the  t  .vo  books  of  Kings,  the  Psalms  of  David  ;  the  Prophets, 
Isaiah,  Jeremiah,  Lamentations,  Ezekiel,  Daniel,  Hosea,  Joel,  Amos,  Obadiah, 
Jonah,  Micab,  Nahum,  Habakkuk,  Zephaniah,  Flagg^i,  Zechariah,  MalachL 
And  in  the  New  Testament,  the  four  Evangelists,  Matthew,  Mark,  Luke, 
John ;  and  the  Apocalypse.  Total  Thivtyfour  Books,  which  complete  the 
Canon  of  the  Sacred  Scripture,  or  Word  of  God ;  beginning  with  the  Old 
Pentateuch  or  Five  Books  of  Moses,  and  ending  with  the  JVew  Pentateuch  or 
Five  Books  of  the  Lamb  ;  including  between  tlicm  Ttventyfour  other  Histori- 
cal, Prophetical,  and  Divinely-Poetical  Books. 


312  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

HovAH,  and  yet  appearing;  in  the  world  only  as  a  Man,  it  was 
necessary  to  provide  an  evidence  to  his  divinity,  at  once  propor- 
tioned to  the  possible  doubts  of  his  creatures,  and  to  the  reality  of 
his  high  character :  Whereas  no  such  evidence  seems  to  be  re- 
quired to  convince  men  of  the  existence  either  of  the  Father,  or 
of  the  divine  operations  understood  by  tlie  Holy  Spirit.  And 
hence  it  is,  that  the  testimony  of  Jesus  alone  is  in  many  parts  of 
the  Word  the  very  letter  of  prophecy,  but  in  all  parts  it's  true 
spirit  and  power. 

Were  it  possible,  after  all  that  has  been  collected  from  the  Sa- 
cred Scriptures  on  this  subject,  still  to  entertain  tlie  idea,  that 
Jesus  was  a  mere  man,  or  a  mere  angel,  mi2;ht  we  not  fairly  sus- 
pect, that  the  pitch  of  glory,  the  summit  of  exaltation,  to  which  as 
a  creature  he  is  most  unaccountably  and  unreasonably  elevated, 
would  in  the  end  only  lead  to  his  utter  downfal  and  destruction  ? 
since  no  finite  being  can  with  impunity  receive  to  himself  the  ho- 
nours, which  exclusively  belong  to  the  Creator  ? 

Or  again,  were  it  possible  still  to  believe,  that  Jesus  was  a  mere 
partner  in  the  divine  nature,  should  we  not  be  justifiable  in  con- 
cluding, that  he  was  superior  in  dignity  to  both  the  Father  and 
the  Holy  Ghost ;  and  therefore  ought  to  be  ranked  as  the  first 
person  in  the  Trinity,  rather  than  as  the  second?  seeing  that  of 
the  three  he  has  obtained  the  more  excellent  glory  of  receiving 
testimony  from  each  of  the  others  ?  But  these  groundless  sur- 
mises, though  they  naturally  arise  from  the  false  premises  of  Uni- 
tarian and  Trinitarian  theolog}',  which  we  have  just  been  notic- 
ing, have  nothing  in  common  with  the  divine  truth  of  revelation  : 
and  therefore  we  dismiss  them,  to  make  room  for  more  useful  and 
genuine  views  of  the  person  and  character  of  our  Lord. 

It  is  evident  from  the  passages  above  quoted,  and  especially 
from  the  last,  that  he  is  the  great  Object  continually  kept  in  view 
both  in  the  historical  and  prophetical  parts  of  the  Word,  as  well 
as  in  the  Psalms.  And  though  this  may  not  be  discernible  by  su- 
perficial readers,  who,  like  swallows  skimming  over  the  surface 
of  the  water  for  the  mere  purpose  of  feeding  upon  flies  and  in- 
sects, in  like  manner  run  over  the  external  history  and  prophecy, 
filling  their  minds  with  natural  images,  facts,  and  expressions. 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &,c.  313 

without  the  least  suspicion  of  any  deeper  and  more  valuable  sense 
Gouched  under  them  ;  yet  to  those,  who  regard  the  Word  of  the 
Lord  as  divine,  and  consequently  as  chiefly  applicable  to  subjects 
of  a  heavenly  and  eternal  nature,  and  only  subordinately  or  re- 
presentatively treating  of  things  earthly  and  transitory,  it  maybe 
made  very  evident,  that  it's  wliole  contents,  in  the  supreme  sense, 
have  direct  reference  to  the  Lord  himself,  his  assumption  of  hu- 
manity in  our  world,  his  transactions  while  in  the  flesh,  and  his 
final  return  to  that  same  glory,  (now  more  than  ever  resplend- 
ent both  in  heaven  and  iu  the  church,)  which  he  had  before  all 
worlds. 

Nor  is  all  this  to  be  wondered  at  as  a  thing  incredible,  if  it  be 
considered,  that  the  Lord  is  not  only  the  Author  of  the  Word,  as 
being  the  fountain  and  source  of  the  divine  truth  which  it  con- 
tains, but  that  he  is  at  the  same  time  also  the  Word  itself ;  that 
Word,  "  which  in  the  beginning  was  with  God,  and  was  God; 
<'  by  which  all  things  in  the  universe  were  brought  into  existence; 
"  and  which,  in  the  fulness  of  time,  was  made  flesh,  and  dwelt 
^'  among  us  (as  a  Man)  full  of  grace  and  truth,"  John  i.  1,  3, 14. 


[137.]  Apoc.  xix.  11  to  16.  "  I  saw  heaven  opened,  and  be- 
*'  hold,  a  white  horse  ;  and  he  that  sat  upon  him  was  called  Faith- 
*^  Jul  and  True,  and  in  righteousness  he  doth  judge  and  make 
*'  war.  His  eyes  were  as  aflame  of  fire,  and  on  his  head  were? 
*'  viany  crowns  ;  and  he  had  a  name  written,  that  no  man  knew 
*»  hut  he  himself.  And  he  was  clothed  in  a  vesture  dipt  in  blood: 
_»'  and  his  name  is  called  2Vie  Word  of  God.  And  the  armies, 
*'  which  were  in  \\eei\en,  followed  him  upon  white  horses,  clothed 
"  in  fine  linen,  white  and  clean.  And  out  of  his  mouth  goeth  a 
*'  sharp  sword,  that  with  it  he  should  smite  the  nations  :  and  he 
"  shall  rule  them  with  a  rod  of  iron :  and  he  treadeth  the  wine- 
♦'  press  of  the  fierceness  and  wrath  of  Almighty  God.  And  he 
«  hath  on  his  vesture  and  on  his  thigh  a  name  written,  King  ©e 
*♦  Kings,  a^sv  Lord  of  Lords." 

Rr 


314  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

The  whole  of  this  description  perfectly  coincides  with  that  pre-" 
viously  given  of  the  Son  of  Man  seen  in  the  midst  of  the  seven 
golden  candlesticks,  before  whom  John  fell  down  as  dead,  Apoc. 
i.  13  to  18.  That  it  is  a  description  of  the  Lord,  that  is,  of  Jesus, 
both  with  respect  to  his  Hiimanitij,  and  with  respect  to  his  Word, 
which  are  always  to  be  identified  as  One,  when  interiorly  consi- 
dered, is  plain  from  all  the  particulars  contained  in  it.  The 
phrase  King  of  Kixgs  has  reference  to  divine  trutli,  or  divine 
wisdom;  and  Lord  of  Lords,  to  divine  good,  or  divine  love. 
And  as  these  two  titles  are  equally  applied  to  the  Lamb,  that  is, 
to  the  Lord,  cliap.  xvii.  14,  and  to  the  Word  ;  and  as  moreover 
we  have  seen,  in  article  134,  that  similar  titles  are  given  in  tlie 
Old  Testament  to  Jkhovah  the  Creator  of  all  tilings  ;  it  is  very 
evident,  from  all  that  has  been  said  on  the  subject,  that  Jehovah, 
and  Jesus,  and  the  Word,  are  all  identified  as  one  divine  source 
and  fountain  of  life;  and  that,  in  point  of  spiritual  operation  upon 
the  human  mind,  tliey  are  and  must  remain  for  ever  inseparable. 

Can  it  with  any  face  of  reason  or  connnon  sense  be  seriously 
imagined,  by  any  person  who  has  not  a  keeper  at  his  elboiv,  tha^ 
such  a  lofty  and  sublime  description,  as  that  above  given,  belongs 
to  a  mere  mun,  a  fellow -creature,  partner  in  all  tlie  infirmities 
and  miseries  of  common  Inunanity  ?  And  is  it  not  enough,  that 
this  mere  man  should  be  called  faithful  and  true,  a  righteons 
Judge  and  Warrior,  having  eyes  like  a  flame  of  fire,  innumerable 
crowns  on  his  head,  and  a  name  written,  that  no  man  knew  but 
h«  himself?  not  enougli,  tliat  he  should  be  clothed  in  a  vesture 
dipt  in  blood  ;  that  his  name  should  be  called  The  Word  of  God  ; 
that  he  should  be  folio-wed  by  whole  armies  of  the  angelic  host^ 
and  tlius  acknowledged  by  them  as  their  Captain  and  Leader  ? 
not  enough  again,  that  a  sharp  sword  should  be  seen  to  proceed 
out  of  his  mouth,  with  which  he  may  smite  the  nations,  and  rule 
them  witli  a  rod  of  iron,  though  still  enduring  the  fierceness ^and 
wrath  of  almighty  God  }  But  must  all  this  be  preceded,  or  an- 
nounced, by  no  less  an  event,  tlian  the  very  opening  of  licaven  it- 
self, as  introductory  to  it  }  And  again  must  the  whole  scene  be 
crowned,  bvbiinging  together  into  one  brilliant  locus  of  glory  all 


UNITARIANvS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  $15 

tlie  scattered  rays  of  celestial  light  and  heat,  wherever  they  were 
to  be  found,  in  heaven,  in  the  church,  or  in  the  Word,  and  by  one 
sacred  act  of  investiture  proclaiming  him  King  of  Kings,  and 
Lord  of  Lords  ? 

Is  it  to  be  conceived,  that  honours  like  these,  divine  in  every 
sense  of  the  v/ord,  do  real!}'  belong  to  any  mere  man,  or  to  any 
mere  angel  ?  Nay,  would  or  could  either  man  or  angel  accept  of 
them,  were  the  offer  supposed  to  be  a  possible  .case  ?  Yet  there 
are  professors  of  the  Christian  name,  who,  regarding  Jesus  in  no 
respect  different  from  themselves,  except  perhaps  in  tlie  superior 
sanctity  of  his  character,  and  in  higher  attainments  of  the  divine 
favour,  whicli  they  allow  him  to  possess,  must  either  acknowledge, 
that  according  to  their  system  lie  is  capable,  as  a  mere  man,  of 
supporting  these  honours,  or  else  must  explain  all  away  as  "  liigh- 
"  ly  figurative  language^''  without  any  adequate  meaning  or  ap- 
plication. 

Or,  it  is  not  impossible,  but  feeling  themselves  rather  pressed 
in  this  point,  they  may  think  to  extricate  themselves  from  the  di- 
lemma, by  boldly  declaring,  that  the  passage  has  no  reference 
whatever  to  Jesus  Christ,  but  to  something  else,  which  they  call 
the  Logos,  or  Wisdom  of  God,  in  some  way  or  other  communicat- 
ed to  him,  yet  existing  (as  they  suppose)  without  either  form  or 
substance  of  it's  own,  but  only  as  a  vague  quality  or  principle, 
diffused,  like  pure  ether,  in  things  that  have  form  and  substance. 
If  you  ask  them.  How  can  a,  quality  he  diffused,  separately  from  a 
substance  ?  they  will  to  such  a  question  make  no  answer,  if  they 
are  prudent:  but  if  otherwise,  they  will  not  hesitate  to  say, 
"  God  is  omnipotent ;  and  he  can,  if  he  please,  diffuse  either 
"  qualities  without  substances,  or  substances  without  qualities  !  P^ 
And  thus,  according  to  the  wisdom  of  these  men,  a  mere  quality 
may  ride  upon  a  white  horse  !  and,  though  itself  without  either 
form  or  substance,  may  yet  be  equipped  with  flaming  eyes,  a 
crowned  head^  a  bloody  garment,  and  a  sharp  sword  proceeding 

out  of  it's  7»0Mf/i .' .' Again,  according  to  the  same  wisdom,  a 

mere  quality  may  have  three  names  ;  the  first  being  a  name  known 
•nly  to  itself;  the  second,  a  name  descriptive  of  divine  truth, 
which  is  The  Word  of  God ;  and  the  third,  a  name  characteris- 


316  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

tic  of  a  Man,  on  whose  vesture  and  thigh  is  written,  King  oj' 

Kings,  and  Lord  of  Lords ! .' But  here  let  us  stop,  that  we 

may  recover  from  the  fatigue  of  pursuing,  or  even  noticing,  such 
idle  dreams,  such  fantastic  images,  which  can  only  float  in  the  at- 
mosphere of  imagination,  or  have  an  existence  in  the  shadows  of 
night. 

O  how  vain  and  delusive  must  all  those  reasonings  be,  which 
would  attempt  to  reduce  either  to  empty  figure,  or  to  unmeaning 
description,  those  divine  declarations,  so  often  repeated  in  the  Sa- 
cred Scriptures,  so  fondly  dwelt  upon  by  every  Prophet,  Evange- 
list, and  Apostle,  and  so  delightfully  varied  in  all  their  heaven- 
derived  modes  of  expression,  which  with  one  consent  ascribe  to 
Jesus,  and  to  Jesus  alone,  as  God  manifested  in  a  human  form, 
as  the  Sovereign  and  Universal  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  all 
glory,  honour,  might,  majesty,  and  dominion,  for  ever  and  ever  I 


[158.]  Apoc.  xxi.  6,  7.  "  And  he  said  unto  me.  It  is  done.  / 
"  am  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  beginning  and  the  end:  /will  give 
*'  unto  him  that  is  athirst,  of  the  fountain  of  the  water  of  life 
"  freely.  He  that  overcometh,  shall  inherit  all  things;  and  /will 
<*  be  his  God,  and  he  shall  be  my  son.^^ 


To  be  satisfied,  that  these  words  were  spoken  by  Jesus,  we 
have  only  to  compare  them  with  what  he  has  said  in  other  places, 
and  with  the  testimony  given  by  the  writer  of  the  Apocalypse  in 
those  passages,  where  our  Lord  does  not  himself  speak  in  person. 
In  the  first  chapter,  ver.  8,  11,  17,  Jesus,  in  the  character  of  the 
Son  of  Man,  says,  "  /  am  Jllpha  and  Omega,  the  beginning  and 
"  the  ending,  who  is,  who  was,  and  who  is  to  come,  the  Almighty. 
"  /am  the  first  and  the  last.^^  The  same  he  again  repeats  in 
chap.  xxii.  13.  The  Evangelist  also  writes  as  follows :  "  In  the 
"  last  day,  that  great  day  of  the  feast,  Jesus  stood  and  cried,  say- 
"  ing.  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me,  and  drink,''^  John 
vii.  37.  And  again  Jesus  says  in  another  place,  "  Whosoever 
*'  drinketh  of   the   water  that   /  shall  give   him,   shall   never 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  317 

"  thirst :  but  the  water,  that  I  shall  give  him,  shall  be  in  him 
<'  a  well  of  water  springing  up  into  everlasting  life,^^  chap, 
iv.  14. 

From  a  comparison  of  these  passages  with  the  former,  it  is  evi- 
dent, that  Jesus  is  the  speaker  in  each  case  :  and  as  it  is  impos- 
sible that  he  can  answer  to  the  high  character,  which  he  thus 
gives  himself,  unless  he  be  indeed  and  in  truth  the  living  God, 
if  we  give  credit  to  his  words  so  solemnly  and  deliberately  utter- 
ed, we  are  under  the  necessity  of  admitting,  in  all  it's  fulness  and 
weight,  the  inference  and  conclusion  so  fairly  deducible  from  the 
premises,  namely,  that  he  is,  and  can  be  no  other  than,  the  One 
Infinite,  Eternal,  and  Omnipotent  God.  And  this  appears  to  be 
the  very  end,  to  which  we  are  conducted  by  the  passage  before 
us.  After  promising  to  the  thirsty  the  water  of  eternal  life,  and 
to  him  that  is  faithful  unto  the  end  an  everlasting  and  superabun- 
dant inheritance,  he  adds  what  is  to  be  expected  as  the  consum- 
mation of  all  hopes  and  all  blessings  in  one  shoxt  word,  viz.  "  / 
*'  will  be  his  God,  and  he  shall  be  my  son^ 

And  here  again,  from  the  last  expression,  my  son,  arises  a  new 
evidence  in  favour  of  the  supreme  Divinity  of  our  blessed  Lord. 
He  calls  the  regenerate  person  his  son.  Must  he  not  then  him- 
self be  a  Father  ?  and  if  a  Father,  then  is  he  not  the  Only  and 
*'  Everlasting  Father  .^"  Isa.  ix.  6.  To  his  disciples  he  says, 
"  One  is  your  Father,  who  is  in  heaven,"  Matt,  xxiii.  9.  But  is 
there  any  other  Father  in  heaven,  than  he,  who,  sitting  upon  the 
tlu'one  of  heaven,  proclaims  himself  Mpha  and  Omega,  the  Be^ 
ginning  and  the  End,  the  Giver  of  the  water  of  life  freely,  the 
bountiful  God  and  Father  of  his  people.'*  It  cannot  be.  Yet  Je- 
sus expressly  declares,  that  he  himself  is  this  First  and  Last,  this 
Fountain  of  life,  this  Giver  of  every  good  gift,  this  God  of  re- 
demption and  salvation,  in  a  word,  this  merciful  Parent  of  angels 
and  men. 

But  all  these  divine  characters  still  belong  to  the  great  Jeho- 
vah, and  can  never  be  surrendered  by  him  to  any  being  inferior 
to  himself.  Are  there  then  two  claimants  to  the  crown  of  hea- 
ven ?  two  that  bear  the  name  of  King  of  glory.  Lord  of  life.  Sa- 
viour, Redeemer,  Mighty  God,  and  Everlasting  Father?  No: 


318  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

but  there  is  such  a  thing  as  the  divine  essence,  in  itself  invisible 
and  inaccessible  to  the  mind  of  man  :  there  is  also  sucli  a  tliinf»- 
as  the  divine  form,  visible  and  accessible  :  the  former  is  called 
Jehovah,  the  latter  is  called  Jesus:  and  both  together,  the  di- 
vine ersence  in  the  divine  form,  the  Essential  Divinity  i/ithc  Di- 
vine Humanity,  the  Father  in  the  Son,  Jehovah  in  Jesus,  like 
the  soul  in  the  body  of  a  man,  constitute  the  One  living  and  eter- 
nal God,  Therefore,  directing  the  mental  eye  to  Jesus,  as  to 
this  visible  and  accessible  Object,  in  whom  are  united  and  con- 
centrated all  the  characters  and  perfections  of  the  divine  nature, 
and  from  whom  is  derived  every  thing  good  and  true  in  the 
church,  we  address  him  alone  as  God  and  Man  in  One  Person, 
saying,  "  Thou  only  art  the  Father,  thou  only  art  the  Son,  and 
^'  thou  only  art  tlie  Holy  Spirit.  Thy  name  is  Jehovah  of  hosts, 
"  the  Holy  One  of  Israel,  the  Mighty  God  of  Jacob.  Thou  art 
"  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  beginning  and  tlie  end,  the  first  and  the 
"  last,  who  wast,  who  art,  and  who  art  to  come,  the  Almighty. 
"Thou  art  the  King  of  glory;  thou  art  the  Lord  of  life.  From 
"  everlasting  to  everlasting,  of  heaven  and  earth  thou  alone  art 
«  God."* 


[^159.]  Apoc.  xxi.  22,  23.  "  And  I  saw  no  temple  therein  :  fof 
'^^the  Lord  God  Almighty  and  the  Lamb  are  the  temple  of  it. 
"And  the  city  had  no  need  of  the  sun,  neither  of  the  moon,  to 
"  shine  in  it :  for  the  glory  of  God  did  lighten  it,  and  the  Lamb 
"  is  the  light  thereof." 


By  no  temple  being  seen  in  the  New  Jerusalem,  we  are  not  to 
suppose,  that  in  heaven  tliere  are  no  temples,  or  places  of  wor- 
ship ;  for  Jolin  expressly  declares,  in  various  parts  of  his  Revela- 
tion, that  he  saw  there  a  temple,  as  well  as  a  tabernacle,  and  an 
altar:  but  we  are  to  understand,  that  in  the  New  Jerusalem,  both 


•  See  Liturgy  of  the  .'Ye-w  Church,  as  Used  in  the  New  Jerusalem  Templcj^ 
Bolton-Strcet,  Salford,  Manchester,  p.  82. 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  ,  319 

in  heaven  and  upon  earth,  there  will  be  no  external  worship  se- 
parate from  that  which  is  internal. 

The  temple  evidently  denotes  worship,  aru]  in  the  supreme 
sense  of  the  word  him,  from  whom  the  spirit  and  life  of  worship 
are  derived,  and  to  whom  also  it  is  directed.  Hence,  when  Je- 
sus spake  of  the  temple,  he  did  not  mean  the  building  of  sione  in 
the  old  city  of  Jerusalem,  but  alluded  to  himself,  to  the  temple  of 
his  own  body,  as  that  to  which  the  building,  together  with  the 
"worship  commanded  to  be  performed  in  it,  had  reference :  see 
John  ii.  19  to  21.  When  John,  therefore,  in  the  celestial  state, 
to  which  he  was  elevated,  declares  that  he  saw  no  temple  in  the 
New  Jerusalem,  he  only  describes,  in  pure  prophetic  language, 
how  every  minor  object,  even  the  sun  itself,  shrinks  from  the  eye 
of  the  beholder,  on  the  presence  of  that  Divine  Humanity, 
which  constitutes  not  only  the  temple  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  but 
also  it's  light,  it's  glory,  and  it's  everlasting  day. 

In  former  articles  we  have  already  most  abundantly  proved, 
that  by  the  terms  Lord  God  Almighty,  and  the  Lamb,  are  not 
meant  two  beings,  tivo  persons,  two  objects  of  adoration,  but  one 
only,  and  that  one  the  Divine  Human  Person  of  our  Lord  and 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ;  the  former  name  having  respect  to  his 
Divinity,  and  the  latter  to  his  Humanity,  which  united  in  one 
are  called  the  Divine  Humanity,  Under  this  view,  there  ap- 
pears to  be  no  difficulty  at  all  in  conceiving,  how  the  Lord  God 
Almighty  and  the  Lamb  should  both  together  constitute  the 
temple  of  the  New  Jerusalem  ;  and  again,  how  the  glory  of  Goo 
could  be  said  to  lighten  it,  and  yet  at  the  same  time  the  Lamb  be 
declared  the  light  thereof.  For  it  cannot  surely  be  supposed, 
that  there  are  two  distinct  fountains  and  sources  of  light  in  !iea- 
ven,  any  more  than  in  the  world  :  and  yet  this  must  be  the  case, 
if  God  and  the  Lamb  be  different  persons  or  beings  the  one  from 
the  other. 

Judge  then  from  revelation  and  from  sound  reason,  how  un- 
scriptural,  how  absurd  and  contradictory,  on  the  one  hand,  must 
all  those  systems  of  theology  be,  which  deny  to  Jesus  the  cha- 
racter and  title  of  the  Supreme  God,  while  they  allow  him  to  be 
the  Lamb,  the  Sox  oi;'  God,  and  the  Savioui;  of  the  world  !  And, 


320  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

on  the  other  hand,  how  consistent  with  the  genuine  testimony  ot 
all  divine  revelation,  and  how  agreeable  to  the  dictates  of  sound 
reason,  not  to  saj  the  common  sense  of  mankind,  must  that  doc- 
trine of  life  and  light  be,  which  teaches,  that  Jesus,  the  Saviour  of 
the  world,  the  Son  of  God  and  Son  of  Man,  the  Lamb  in  the  midst 
of  the  throne,  worthy  to  receive  all  blessing  and  honour  and  glory 
and  power,  is  also  at  the  same  time  the  Lord  God  Almighty, 
the  temple  and  the  light  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  in  short,  the  One 
Only  Potentate,  and  Sovereign  Ruler  of  the  universe  ! 


[140.]  Apoc.  xxi.  £7.  "  And  there  shall  in  no  wise  enter  into 
*'  it  [the  New  Jerusalem]  any  thing  that  defileth,  neither  whatso- 
"  ever  worketh  abomination,  or  maketh  a  lie  :  but  they  who  are 
"  written  in  the  Lamb's  hook  of  life. 


By  the  book  of  life  is  meant  the  Holy  Word,  or  Sacred  Scrip- 
lure,  by  and  from  which  all  spiritual  life  is  communicated  to  man: 
and  when  man  lives  according  to  it's  divine  instructions,  it's 
truths  are  then  said  to  be  inscribed  on  his  heart,  and  his  name  to 
be  written  in  the  book  of  life.  In  chap.  xx.  12,  is  described  in 
what  manner  the  dead  are  to  be  judged,  which  will  be  by  an  open- 
ing of  their  interiors,  as  of  so  many  books,  and  by  a  comparison 
between  such  books  and  the  book  of  life  or  Sacred  Scripture ; 
when  according  to  the  agreement  or  disagreement,  which  shall 
then  appear  to  exist  between  them,  man  will  be  adjudged  either 
to  a  state  of  eternal  happiness,  or  to  a  state  of  eternal  misery. 
The  passage  is  expressed  in  the  following  words ;  "  I  saw  the 
"  dead,  small  and  great,  stand  before  God  ;  and  the  books  icere 
*'  opened :  and  another  book  was  opened,  which  is  the  book  of  life: 
"  and  the  dead  were  judged  out  of  those  things,  which  were  written 
"  in  the  books,  according  to  their  works."  And  it  is  added  in  ver. 
15,  that  "  whosoever  was  not  found  written  in  the  book  of  life,  was 
"•♦  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire." 

The  argument  to  be  drawn  from  the  preceding  considerations 
ks,  that,  as  the  final  state  of  man  hereafter  is  to  be  determined  by 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  321 

ii  judgment  from  the  book  of  life,  which  is  the  Sacred  Scripture ; 
and  as  this  book  of  life  is  declared  to  be  the  Lamb's  in  chap,  xiii, 
8,  as  well  as  in  chap.  xxi.  27;  so  the  Lamb,  or  Jesus  Christ, 
must  be  the  sole  Judge  of  all,  and  consequently  that  God,  be- 
fore whom  the  dead,  small  and  great,  were  seen  to  stand.  And  so 
essential  is  the  acknowledgment  of  him  in  this  his  divine  character, 
that  is,  as  God  and  Man  united  in  one  person,  together  with  a  life 
according  to  his  commandments,  that  no  others,  than  such  as 
realize  in  themselves  a  faith  and  a  life  of  this  description,  can 
ever  set  foot  within  the  gates  of  the  holj  city,  the  New  Jerusalem 
coming  down  from  above. 


£141.]  Apoc.  xxii.  1.  "  And  he  shewed  me  a  pure  river  of 
"  water  of  life,  clear  as  crystal,  proceeding  out  of  the  throne  of 
"  God  atid  of  the  Lamb."  # 


From  many  parts  of  the  Apocalypse  it  appears,  that  both  God 
and  the  Lamb  were  upon  and  in  the  midst  of  the  throne ;  and 
hence  it  is  equally  called  here,  and  in  ver.  3,  the  throne  of  God, 
and  the  throne  of  the  Lamb.  But  we  know,  that  tivo  divine  per- 
sons or  beings  cannot  with  any  shew  of  order  fill  one  throne,  be- 
cause the  infinity  or  unlimited  sovereignty  of  either  would  neces- 
sarily exclude  the  other  from  all  participation  or  share  in  it. 
And  we  know  further,  that  although  God  and  the  Lamb  ai*e  both 
said  to  occupy  the  throne  of  heaven,  still  only  One  Divine  Per- 
son was  seen  to  sit  thereon  :  for  this  is  plainly  to  be  gathered 
from  chap.  iv.  2,  3,  9  to  11;  chajj.  v.  1 ;  chap.  xi:x.  4 ;  chap.  xx. 
11 ;  and  chap.  xxi.  5.  No  other  conclusion?  then,  consistent  with 
the  Divine  Unity  so  strongly  inculcated  in  the  Sacred  Scriptures^ 
and  harmoniz.ing  with  the  common  reason  of  mankind,  can  be 
drawn  from  the  circumstance  of  the  throne  of  God  being  describ- 
ed as  the  throne  also  of  the  Lamb,  than  that  the  One  God  has 
been  pleased  to  announce  himself  under  two  different  names,  by 
the  one  of  which  he  proclaims  his  Essential  Divinity,  aud  by 
the  other  liis  Divine  Humanity. 


322  A  SEAL  UPON  TH^  LIPS  OF 

It  moreover  appears  evident,  (one  would  think,  beyond  the 
reach  of  doubt  or  controversy,)  that  this  One  God  is  no  other  than 
our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  when  we  consider,  that 
from  the  throne  above  described  proceeds  a  pure  river  of  water 
of  life,  the  same  kind  of  water  which  Jesus  also  promises  to 
^^ give  to  those  that  ask  it  of  hini,^^  and  which  he  says  "  shall  be 
"  in  them  a  ivell  of  ivater  springing  up  into  everlasting  life,'* 
John  iv.  10,  14.  Is  there,  can  there  be,  more  than  one  fountain 
of  living  water  ?  Is  Jesus  this  fountain,  or  is  he  not  ?  If  he  be 
not,  what  has  he  been  teacliing  us  all  tliis  while  ?  Why  has  he 
been  calling  our  attention  so  much  to  Himself,  as  though  the  ap- 
proach to  Him,  and  the  acknowledgment  of  Him,  were  so  essen- 
tially needful,  that  without  it  even  our  addresses  to  the  Deity 
will  avail  us  nothing,  in  securing  either  a  present  help,  or  an  eter- 
nal reward  hereafter  ?  "  Come  unto  me,^'  (says  he,)  "  all  ye  that 
*'  labour,  and  are  heavy-laden  :  and  /  will  give  you  resty''  Matt.  xi. 
28.  "  If  ye  believe  not  C*iat  /  Jim,  ye  shall  die  in  your  sins,'* 
John  viii.  24.  If  a  man  keep  my  saying,  "  he  shall  never  see 
^^death,^^  ver.  51.  "  Ye  will  not  come  to  me,  that  ye  might  have 
"  /i/e,"  John  V.  40.  "  Believe  in  God  ;  believe  also  in  ?)i?,"  John 
xiv.  1.  "  This  is  life  eternal,  that  they  miglit  know  thee  the  only 
"true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ  whom  thou  hast  sent,"  John  xvii. 
3.     "  Without  me  ye  can  do  nothing,''''  John  xv.  5. 

On  the  other  hand,  if  Jesus  be  the  one  fountain  of  living  water, 
and  if  it  be  indeed  a  necessary  condition  of  obtaining  eternal  life* 
that  we  believe  in  Him,  make  our  approaches  to  Him,  and  thus 
acknowledge  Him  as  the  giver  of  all  that  we  stand  in  need  of; 
then  the  doctrine,  which  explains  how  all  this  can  be,  without  im- 
plying a  breach  of  any  superior  duty,  and  which  teaches,  that  the 
•worship  of  Him  is  at  the  same  time  the  worship  of  the  One  True 
God,  must,  of  all  the  doctrines  ever  heard  of  in  the  church,  con- 
cerning the  person  of  Jesus,  be  admitted  to  be  the  most  scriptu- 
ral, the  most  rational,  and  the  most  satisfactory  to  the  human 
mind.  And  such  is  the  doctrine  t)f  the  New  Jerusalem  concern- 
ing the  Lord. 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  323 

£142.]  Apoc.  xxli.  5,  4.  "  And  there  shall  be  no  more  curse  : 
'♦»  but  the  throne  of  God  and  of  the  Lamb  shall  be  in  it;  and  his 
*'  servants  shall  serve  him.  And  they  shall  see  his  face ;  and 
•'  his  name  shall  be  in  their  foreheads." 


Having  in  the  preceding  articles  shewn,  that  by  God  and  the 
Lamb  is  meant  one  and  the  same  Divine  Being,  and  consequent- 
ly that  whether  the  throne  of  heaven  be  called  the  throne  of  God, 
or  the  throne  of  the  Lamb,  it  is  still  one  and  the  same  thing;  we 
have  only  here  to  observe,  that  the  evidence  arising  out  of  the 
present  verses  plainly  enough  demonstrates,  that  we  have  not  in 
these  points  mistaken. the  true  sense  of  divine  revelation.  For 
immediately  after  naming  God  and  the  Lamb,  apparently  ustwo 
distinct  beings,  the  writer  prophetically  and  evangelically  deter- 
mines their  unity  and  identity,  by  adding,  "  And  his  servants 
"  shall  serve  him :  and  they  shall  see  his  face ;  and  his  namQ 
"  shall  be  in  their  foreheads."  On  a  contrary  supposition,  to 
whom  does  the  word  his  or  him  refer  .'*  to  God,  or  to  the  Lamb  ? 
Will  any  person  take  upon  him  positively  to  declare,  (we  do  not 
mean,  to  prove,  for  that  is  entirely  out  of  the  question,)  that  it  al- 
ludes to  either  one  of  these  names,  exclusive  of  the  other  ?  It  is 
indeed  too  evident  to  admit  of  a  doubt,  that  both  are  intended  to 
be  included ;  because  we  have  heard  it  again  and  again  repeated 
by  the  same  Evangelist,  that  the  whole  population  of  heaven,  with- 
out a  single  exception,  are  in  the  habit  of  ascribing  all  glory 
and  honour,  all  majesty  and  dominion,  at  one  time  to  God  and 
the  Lamb,  and  at  another  time  to  Him  that  liveth  for  ever  and 
ever ;  thereby  acknowledging  themselves  to  be  the  servants  of 
hoth,  and  yet  the  worshippers  of  only  One  Divine  Being. 

In  chap.  iii.  12,  distinct  mention  is  made  of  the  name  o/God, 
and  of  the  name  o/ Jesus,  or  the  Lamb  ;  and  a  promise  is  given, 
that  both  these  names,  as  well  as  the  name  of  the  city  New  Jerusa- 
lem, shall  be  inscribed  on  him  that  overcometh :  "  I  will  write 
*'  upon  him  the  name  of  my  God,  and  the  name  of  the  city  of  my 
«'  God,  New  Jerusalem,  which  cometh  down  out  of  heaven  from 


324  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

"  my  God  :*  and  I  will  write  upon  him  my  neiv  name.^^    But  in 
chap.  xiv.  1,  the  name  of  God  is  alluded  to,  singly,  in  these 


*  It  has  been  objected  to  the  sole  divinity  of  Jkstjs  Christ,  that  in  the  Gos-. 
pel  of  John,  chap.  xx.  17,  he  speaks  of  his  Father  and  his  God,  in  the  same 
manner  apparently  as  he  speaks  of  tlie  Fathei-  and  God  of  his  disciples:  from 
which  it  is  inferred,  that  Jr.sus  stands  in  the  same  relation  to  the  Supreme 
Being,  as  any  other  good  man  does.  And  the  persons,  who  draw  such  a  con- 
clusion, may  confirm  themselves  in  this  sentiment  from  our  Lord's  words  in 
Apoc.  iii.  12,  where,  speaking  of  him  that  overcometh,  he  says  "  I  will  write 
"  upon  him  the  name  of  7ni/  God,  and  the  name  of  the  city  of  tnif  God"  For 
*'  in  what  other  sense  (say  they)  can  the  words  be  taken,  than  as  an  acknow- 
"  ledgment,  on  the  part  of  Jesus,  of  a  Power  or  Being  superior  to  himself,  un- 
"  der  the  name  and  character  of  his  God  ?" 

To  this  we  answer,  That  such  words,  when  proceeding  from  the  lips  of  a 
mere  man,  or  a  mere  finite  creature  of  any  denomination,  do  indeed  imply 
all  that  is  above  stated ;  but  that  the  same  words,  when  proceeding  from  the 
mouth  of  him,  who  has  all  power  in  heaven  and  on  earth,  bear  a  widely  difier- 
ent  signification.  In  this  latter  case,  if  we  would  distinctly  perceive  the  true 
import  of  the  two  phrases  my  God,  and?»j^  Father,  it  is  first  necessary  to  know 
what  is  properly  meant  by  the  term  God,  and  what  by  the  term  Father,  as 
distinguished  from  each  other  both  in  the  Old  Testament  and  in  the  New. 
By  the  term  God  is  meant  the  divine  truth  or  the  divine  luisdom  proceeding 
from  the  divine  good  or  the  divine  love ;  hence  angels,  as  being  receptive  of 
such  divine  truth,  are  themselves  frequently  called  gods.  Again,  by  the  terra 
Father  is  meant  the  divine  good  or  the  divine  love,  not  only  in  the  Lord,  but 
sXso  proceeding  from  the  Lord.  This  is  the  key,  which  at  once  enables  us  to 
unfold  all  the  mystery. 

The  term  God,  then,  as  used  in  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  denotes  the  divine 
rrw^A  proceeding  from  the  Lord,  and  entering  into  all  the  heavens  :  and  inas- 
much as  it  is  still  his  divine  truths  though  proceeding  from  him,  who  is  per- 
sonally far  above  the  heavens,  he  therefore  speaks  of  it  under  the  usual  name 
which  it  bears  in  the  Volume  of  inspiration,  saying,  "I  will  write  upon  him 
"  the  name  of  my  God,  and  the  name  of  the  city  of  m^  God,  which  is  New  Jeru- 
**  salem,  which  cometh  down  out  of  heaven  from  my  God  .•"  by  which  is  meant, 
that  he  will  inscribe  on  the  heart  of  his  people  A/s  divine  truth,  together  with 
the  doctrine  of  his  divine  truth  as  existing  in  the  New  Church,  and  derived 
from  his  divine  truth  such  as  it  is  in  the  heavens. 

The  same  rule  of  interpretation  will  also  apply  to  all  those  passages,  wlierc- 
in  our  Lord  speaks  of  his  Father,  apparently  as  of  another  Being  distinct  fronn 
himself,  but  in  reality  of  his  oT.-n  divini'  good,  or  his  oivn  divine  love. 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  325 

words  :  "  Lo,  a  Lamb  stood  on  mount  Sion,  and  with  him  an  hun- 
'•  dred  forty  and  four  thousand,  having  his  Father's  name  writ- 
Bat  still  our  Unitarian  and  Trinitarian  readers  are  perhaps  not  quite  satis- 
fted  with  this  Interpretation ;  because  they  have  probably  been  in  the  habit  of 
considering  tlie  expression  fni/  God  to  be  a  constant  and  uniform  acknowledg-- 
ment,  on  the  part  of  an  inferior,  that  the  being  or  person  so  named  Is  superior, 
in  dignity,  character,  and  essence,  to  the  person  using  such  language.  Be- 
fore they  will  cordially  admit  our  doctrine,  they  must  have  some  better  proof, 
than  mere  assertion;  and  we  can  almost  hear  them  ask,  "Does  the  gieat  Jk- 
"  HOVAH  himself,  the  universally  acknowledged  God  of  the  universe,  ever  once 
"  make  use  of  expressions  any  thing  like  that  which  we  find  In  the  mouth  of 
"  Jescs  Christ  ?  Does  He  ever  talk  of  his  God,  and  mean  thereby  his  own  di- 
"  vine  truth?  A  single  instance  of  this  kind,  produced  from  the  Sacred  Scrip- 
"  lures,  would  settle  the  point,  and  give  us  entire  satisfaction." 

Would  it  so  ?  Then  it  shall  not  be  wlth-held.  Let  us  listen  to  the  words  of 
the  prophet :  "  And  now,  salth  Jehovah,  Though  Israel  be  not  gathered,  yet 
"  shall  I  be  glorious  in  the  eyes  0/ Jehovah,  and  my  God  shall  be  my  strength," 
Isa.  xllx.  5.  Here  the  very  expressions  sought  for  are  found,  and  found  to  pro- 
ceed from  the  mouth  of  Jehovah,  who,  as  well  as  Jesus,  speaks  of  "  his  God 
*•  being  his  strength  ,"  by  which  siu-ely  nothing  else  can  be  meant,  than  the 
po'Mcr  of  his  own  divine  truth.  He  also,  in  speaking  to  his  servant  Israel,  by 
whom  is  signified  the  Humanity  assumed  by  himself,  adds  In  the  next  verse, 
"I  will  also  give  thee  for  a  light  to  the  gentiles,  that  thou  mayest  be  my  sal- 
"vation  unto  the  end  of  the  earth."  And  in  David  it  is  written,  "  I  have  set 
"  my  King  upon  my  holy  hill  of  Zlon,"  Ps.  ii.  6.  In  these  passages  Jehovah 
speaks  of  his  God,  his  salvation,  and  his  King,  apparently  as  of  some  other 
person,  but  In  reality  as  of  some  principles /)roceeJjH_§'/rom  himself,  and  by  no 
means  of  any  being  or  principle  superior  to  himself. 

Pi-eclsely  in  the  same  way  are  we  to  understand  similar  expressions  In  the 
mouth  of  Jesus,  when  he  says,  "I  will  write  upon  him  that  overcometh  the 
"  name  of  my  God,  and  the  name  of  the  city  of  my  God,  which  is  New  Jerusa- 
"  lem,  coming  down  out  of  heaven  from  my  God .-"  where,  as  before  observed, 
the  expression  my  God  denotes  my  divine  truth. 

It  may  be  further  remarked,  that,  besides  tlie  passage  above  quoted  from 
Isaiah,  In  which  Jehovah  speaks  of  himself  as  of  another  Being-,  saying,  "I 
"  shall  be  glorious  in  the  eyes  of  Jehovah  ;"  other  Instances  of  tlie  same  kind 
are  to  be  found  m  the  prophetical  books,  as  in  Isa.  11.  15  ;  chap.  llv.  13  ;  chap. 
Ivi.  6.  Jer.  xlv.  10.  Zech.  iii.  2 ;  chap.  vili.  9,  Sec.  &.c.  &C.  And  yet  no  one 
would  think  of  inferring  from  such  language,  that  there  are  more  Jehovahs 
than  one,  or  that  any  other  Divine  Person  is  meant,  besides  the  SrEAKEXihim- 


326  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

'''ten  in  tlieir  foreheads."  And  in  chap.  xix.  11  to  16,  the  naiite 
of  Jesus,  who  is  also  the  Lamb,  and  the  Word,  is  brought  for- 
ward under  such  circumstances  of  dignity  and  unrivalled  sove- 
reignty, that  it  may  well  pass  for  the  name  and  description  of  all 
that  is  divine.  Taking,  however,  the  two  names  of  God  and  the 
Lamb  in  their  proper  and  respective  significations,  and  uniting 
them  in  the  mind  so  as  to  characterize  only  One  Supreme  Object 
■^vorthy  of  our  love  and  adoration,  we  have  then  the  true  scriptural 
idea  of  God  manifested  in  the  Flesh,  or  God  visible  and  ap- 
proachable as  a  Divine  Man.  And  if  to  this  exercise  of  the  un- 
derstanding, in  relation  to  the  person  of  our  heavenly  Father,  we 
add  also  the  fervent  desires  of  the  heart  to  do  his  will  in  every 
situation  and  condition  of  our  existence,  we  shall  then  experience 
the  real  privileges  of  admission  into  the  holy  city ;  we  shall  no 
longer  live  as  it  were  at  a  distance  from  him  ;  but  having  access 
lo  his  presence,'  we  shall  become  his  willing  servants,  shall  be 
permitted  to  see  his  face,  and  moreover  shall  have  his  name  in- 
scribed on  our  foreheads  :  that  is  to  say,  we  shall  be  enabled  to 
see  and  understand,  the  genuine  truths  of  his  Word,  by  the  pure 
light  of  which  we  may  contemplate  his  divine  attributes  and  per- 
fections ;  and  finally  w^e  shall  be  blessed  with  his  love,  with  Him- 
self in  our  hearts. 


[143.]  Apoc.  xxii.  12,  13.  "  Behold, /come  quickly ;  and  my 
''  reward  is  with  me,  to  give  to  every  man  according  as  his  work 
'-■  ihall  be.  I  am  Mpha  and  Omega,  the  Beginning  and  the  End, 
"  the  First  and  the  Last." 


In  many  parts  of  the  New  Testament,  Jesus  uses  a  language 
so  similar  to  that  of  Jehovah  in  tlie  Old  Testament,  that  the  re- 
self  So  with  respect  to  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  M-liensoever  he 
names  cither  the  Father,  or  the  Holy  Spirit,  appaj-ently  as  different  persons 
from  himself,  we  are  uniformly  to  understand,  that  he  is  still  speaking  of 
Himself  alone,  either  in  reference  to  his  essential  divinity,  meant  by  the  Fa- 
ther, or  to  his  proceeding  divine  tnith,  meant  by  the  Holy  Spirit. 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  S27 

semblance  forces  itself  upon  our  notice.  When,  for  instance,  he 
says,  "  Come  unto  vie,  all  ye  that  labour,  and  are  heavy-laden,  and 
'^^  I  will  give  you  rest,^^  Matt.  xi.  28;  the  words  immediately 
bring  to  our  recollection  what  Jehovah  had  previously  delivered 
by  the  prophet ;  "  Look  unto  me,  and  be  ye  saved,  all  the  ends  of 
<i'  the  earth  :  for  I  am  God,  and  there  is  none  else,''''  Isa.  xlv.  22. 
Afjain,  when  he  says,  "  I  am  the  good  Shepherd:  vuj  sheep  hear 
"  my  voice,  and  I  know  them,  and  they  follow  me :  and  /  give 
'•'  unto  them  eternal  life,''''  John  x.  14,  27,  28  ;  we  cannot  help  re- 
curring to  that  passage  in  the  Psalms,  where  David  says,  "  Jeho- 
"  VAH  is  mij  Shepherd,  I  shall  not  want:  he  maketh  me  to  lie 
"  down  in  green  pastures ;  he  leadeth  me  beside  the  still  waters  ; 
"  he  restoreth  my  soul  /  he  leadeth  me  in  the  paths  of  righteousness 
"  for  his  name's  sake,"  Ps.  xxiii.  1  to  3  ;  Or  to  that  in  the  pro- 
phet Isaiah,  where  it  is  written,  "  The  Lord  Jehovih*  shall 
"  feed  his  flock  like  a  shepherd:  he  shall  gather  the  lambs  v/ith 
*•  his  arm,  and  carry  them  in  his  bosom,  and  shall  gently  lead 
"  those  that  are  with  young,"  Isa.  xl.  11 :  Or  else  to  that  in  the 
prophet  Ezekiel,  where  the  Lord  Jehovih  himself  says,  "  Be- 
"  hold,  I,  even  I,  will  both  search  my  sheep,  and  seek  them  out : 
"  as  a  shepherd  seeketh  out  his  flock  in  the  day  that  he  is  among 
"  his  sheep  that  are  scattered,  so  will  I  seek  out  my  sheep,  and 
"  will  deliver  them  out  of  all  places,  where  they  have  been  scat- 
"tered,"  Ezek.  xxxiv.  11,  12. 

In  like  manner,  when  we  hear  Jesus  say,  as  in  the  Apocalypse, 
chap.  iii.  11;  chap.  xvi.  15;  chap.  xxii.  7,  12,  20,  "Behold,/ 
»"  come  quickly,  and  my  reward  is  with  me  ;"  we  at  once  perceive, 
that  the  speaker  can  be  no  other  than  the  same,  who  in  ancient 
times  had  dictated  a  similar  language,  and  thus  announced  his 
future  advent.  "Behold,  the  Lord  Jehovih  will  come  with 
"  strong  hand,  and  his  arm  shall  rule  for  hini :  behold,  his  reward 
"  is  with  him,  and  his  work  before  him,"  Isa.  xl.  10.  Or,  as  it  is 
expressed  in  another  place,  "  Behold,  Jehovah  hath  proclaimed 
"  unto  the  end  of  the  world,  Say  ye  to  the  daughter  of  Zion,  Be- 

*  For  the  difference  in  signification  between  the  word  Jf.hovih  and  Jeho- 
TAH,  as  used  in  the  Sucred  Scriptures,  see  the  Note,  page  216. 


5£8  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

"  hoUl,  f/«y  salvation  cometh  ;  beliokl,  his  reward  is  with  him, 
"and  his  work  before  him,"  Isa.  Ixii.  11. 

J3ut  when,  in  addition  to  all  the  above,  of  itself  amply  sullicicnt 
to  convince  us  of  the  sole  divinity  of  Jesus,  we  hear  him  most 
solemnly  and  distinctly  pronounce,  "  I  am  Alpha  and  Omega,  the 
"  Beginning  and  the  End,  the  First  and  the  Last,  tcho  is,  ivho 
^'  iras,  and  who  is  to  come,  the  Jllmighty  ;"  and  when  we  reflect 
upon  the  true  import  of  this  divine  language,  which  could  never 
pass  the  lips  of  any  being  conscious  of  an  existing  Power  superior 
to  himself;  to  the  winds  are  immediately  committed  all  re- 
maining doubts,  if  any  still  lurk  in  the  mind,  and  with  the  fullest 
assurance,  that  can  be  derived  i'vom  revelation  doiibli/  revealed,  we 
hail  the  Saviour  of  the  world  as  it's  Creator  also,  as  the  one  only 
and  everlasting  fountain  of  all  life  and  being. 

Every  great  doctrine  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures  will  admit  of  be- 
ing illustrated  and  confirmed  in  a  variety  of  ways  :  and  it  not  un- 
frequcntly  happens,  that  an  argument,  in  itself  less  weighty  than 
another,  shall  yet  have  the  effect  of  conveying  to  some  minds  a 
more  sensible  conviction  of  the  truth,  than  could  be  obtained  from 
a  strongv  light ;  just  as  a  moderately  distant  view  of  an  object  will 
present  to  tlie  beholder  a  more  pleasing,  if  not  a  more  correct  pic- 
ture, than  a  nearer  one,  less  adapted  to  the  configuration  of  his 
eye,  is  capable  of  producing.  We  will,  therefore,  in  agreement 
with  this  observation,  submit  to  the  reader  an  argument,  not  be- 
fore urged,  which  yet  seems  fairly  to  arise  out  of  the  passage,  in 
Avhich  Jesus  declares,  that  he  is  "  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  Begin- 
"  ning  and  the  End,  the  First  and  the  Last.''^ 

Both  Trinitarians  and  Unitarians  must  acknowledge,  that  such 
language  implies,  that  the  speaker,  whoever  he  may  be,  is  the 
Author  and  continual  Preserver  of  all  life,  whether  in  it's  most 
hidden  principles,  or  in  it's  manifested  effects.  Tiiey  will  also 
admit,  that  the  Divine  Being,  thus  characterizing  himself,  is  in 
the  New  Testament  further  described  by  the  names  Father, 
Son,  and  Holy  Spirit,  either  with  respect  to  himself  in  his 
three  supposed  forms  called  persons,  or  with  respect  to  himself 
and  his  agency  through  the  medium  of  others.  In  which-ever  way 
they  understand  the  terms,  they  are  both  agreed,  that  by  the  Son, 


I/NITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  3^9 

er  middle  term,  is  meant  Jesus  Christ  :  but  what  specifically  is 
intended  by  the  terms  Father  and  Holy  Spirit,  they  hold  in 
dispute  among  themselves,  still  however  concurring  in  this  one 
point,  that  the  Son  Jesus  Christ  is  neither  the  Father  nor  the 
Holy  Spirit.  Now  as  the  whole  of  Deity  and  his  operations 
are  allowed  to  be  included  in  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Ho- 
ly Spirit  ;  and  as  the  first  term,  Father,  evidently  has  refe- 
rence to  the  words  Mpha,  Beginnings  First,  in  the  former  de- 
scription of  Deity ;  and  the  third  term,  Holy  Spirit,  has  in  like 
manner  as  plain  a  reference  to  the  words,  Omega,  End,  Last ; 
and  again,  as  Jesus  the  Son,  understood  by  the  second  term,  ex- 
pressly declares,  while  standing  in  the  midst  of  the  seven  golden 
candlesticks,  that  he  himself  is  both  Jilpha  and  Omega,  the  Be- 
ginning  and  the  Mud,  the  First  and  the  Last ;  it  follows  incon- 
trovertibly,  even  under  this  view  of  tlie  Divine  Being  as  afforded 
by  the  order  and  import  of  his  sacred  names,  that  Jesus  is  also 
the  Father  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  consequently  the  whole 
and  sole  Deity,  by  whatever  name  expressed,  or  in  whatever  way 
described  in  the  Volume  of  inspiration. 

Thus,  when  Deity  is  revealed  to  man  in  Trinity,  as  well  as  in 
Unity,  he  who,  in  the  order  of  nomination,  stands  as  the  middle 
term,  the  uniting  link,  the  great  medium,  known  also  by  the 
name  of  Mediator,  between  the  divine  essence  called  the  Fa- 
ther, and  the  divine  operations  upon  the  spirits  of  men  called 
the  Holy  Spirit,  by  virtue  of  the  true  nature  of  a  divine  me- 
dium, unites  in  himself  all  of  divinity  that  is  invisible,  impercep- 
tible, and  inaccessible,  with  all  of  divifiity  that  is  manifest,  per- 
ceptible, and  capable  of  approach.  This,  therefore,  is  the  One 
Incarnate  God,  Jesus  Christ,  who  being  in  the  midst  of  all,  and 
thus  present  with  all,  is  the  very  life  of  all,  according  to  their 
several  degrees  and  capacities  of  reception,  from  the  highest  to 
the  lowest,  or  from  inmost  principles  to  ultimate  effects  :  but  es-- 
pecially,  in  regard  to  heavenly  and  divine  things,  he  now  stands 
confessed  in  his  church  as  the  sole  Mover,  Conductor,  and  Fi- 
nisher of  the  redemption,  regeneration,  and  salvation  of  mankind ; 
in  other  words,  as  "  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  Beginning  and  the 
<*  End,  the  First  and  the  Last." 


530  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  Ot 

[144.]  Apoc.  xxii.  16.     "  1  Jesus  have  sent  mine  angel  to  te^• 
«<  tifv  unto  you  these  things  in  the  churcheSi" 


We  have  already,  in  a  former  part  of  this  Avork,  under  article 
27,  noticed  the  argument  in  favour  of  the  divinity  of  our  Lord, 
so  plainly  arising  out  of  these  words.  But  it  may  be  well  to  give 
them  a  further  consideration. 

The  Unitarian,  who  looks  upon  Jesus  as  a  mere  man,  must, 
when  he  reads  this  passage,  in  the  first  instance,  think  it  one  of 
the  most  unaccountable  tilings  in  the  world,  that  a  worm  like 
himself  should  have  it  in  his  power  to  depute  an  angel,  as  his 
humble  minister  and  messenger,  to  execute  his  good  pleasure,  by 
making  known  to  the  churches  the  wonderful  contents  of  the 
book  of  Revelation.  But  on  furtlier  reflection  he  will,  no  doubt, 
conceive  it  necessary  to  turn  to  the  original,  in  order  to  ascer- 
tain precisely  the  true  meaning  of  the  term,  which  is  rendered 
angel :  and  then  discovering,  that  in  strictness  it  denotes  only  a 
messenger,  narrator,  or  bearer  of  news,\\e  rejoices  in  the  thought, 
that  his  system  has  still  a  leg  to  stand  upon.  "  Where  (says  he) 
*'  is  the  diflBculty  or  impropriety  of  supposing,  that  a  mere  man 
«  may  send  a  messenger  on  any  particular  occasion,  to  communi- 
"  cate  to  others  what  he  cannot  so  conveniently  inform  them  of  in 
"  person  .^"  Thus  by  reducing  the  word  angel  to  it's  primitive 
and  most  literal  signification,  he  would,  if  possible,  destroy  every 
idea  that  tends  to  exalt  Jesus  to  be  the  God  of  heaven.  But  ne- 
ver can  he  succeed  in  such  an  attempt,  while  we  find  the  veryi 
same  expression  made  use  of  in  reference  to  the  Lord  God,  as 
we  do  in  reference  to  Jesus.  In  the  6th  verse  it  is  written, 
"  The  Lord  God  of  the  holy  prophets  sent  his  angel  to  shew 
"  unto  his  servants  the  things  which  must  shortly  be  done."  And 
in  the  16th  verse,  "  I  Jesus  have  sent  mine  angel  to  testify  unto 
<•  you  these  things  in  the  churches." 

From  a  comparison  of  these  two  passages  together,  and  taking 
them  both  in  connection  with  what  is  said  in  chap.  xxi.  9,  and 
again  further  back  in  chap.  i.  1,  four  things  are  most  evident,  viz. 
First,  That  the  Lord  God  and  Jesus  are  equally  said  to  have 
s,ent,  each  one  respectively,  his  angel.    Secondly,  That  the  angel 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  331 

sent  by  the  Lord  God,  and  the  angel  sent  by  Jesus,  is  in  both 
cases  one  and  the  same  angel ;  being  in  fact  "  one  of  the  seven 
"  angels,  which  had  the  seven  vials  full  of  the  seven  last  plagues," 
who  invited  John  to  follow  him,  that  he  might  shew  him  the  won- 
derful things  belonging  to  the  New  Jerusalem,  chap.  xxi.  9,  10, 
&c.    Thirdly,  That  the  pwrpose,  for  which  this  angel  was  sent  by 
the  Lord  God  and  by  Jesus,  is  also  one  and  tftg  sajne,  namely,  to 
testify  and  make  known  in  the  churches  the  great  events,  which 
were  to  take  place  in  their  proper  time.     And,  Fourthly,  That, 
as  the  result  of  all  these  tilings  put  together,  well  digested,  and 
confirmed  by  the  testimony  of  divine  truth  itself  in  innumerable 
parts  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  the  absolute  identity  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  with  the  Lord  God  of  the  holy  prophets,  and  con- 
sequently his  sole,  supreme,  and  exclusive  divinity,  is  established 
on  so  firm  a  foundation,  that  hereafter  neither  the  powers  of  per- 
vex-ted  reason  in  man,  nor  the  malice  and  subtlety  which  have 
rule  in  devil,  can  ever  hope  to  assail  it  with  any  prospect  of  suc- 
cess, much  less  to  subvert  and  overthrow  it. 
We  see  then  that  the  Unitarian  system  of  excluding  Jesus  from 
all  participation  in  the  divine  nature,  whether  it  be  regarded  from 
the  light  of  sound  reason,  or  from  the  still  superior  light  of  reve- 
lation, has  the  support  and  countenance  of  neither  the  one  nor 
the  other,  when  fairly  and  properly  appealed  to.     It  is  true,  in- 
deed, there  is  an  inferior  kind  of  rationality,  which  may  appear 
to  give  some  countenance  to  it ;  a  subordinate  reason,  (or  more 
properly,  ratiocination,)   scarcely  deserving  the  name,  but  yet 
in  common  life  honoured  with  the  appellation,  being  intended 
partly  to  distinguish  man  from  a  brute,  and  partly  to  serve  as  a 
medium  or  step  to  introduce  him  to  a  higher  degree  of  human 
wisdom.     And  too  many  are  content  to  avail  themselves  only  of 
\Vs  first  use  and  power,  without  ever  seeking  or  caring  to  exer* 
cise  it's  second.     The  consequence  of  which  is,  that  all  such  walk 
in  the  mere  shade  of  external  science  and  literature,  surrounded 
•with  clouds  and  mists  and  vapours  innumerable,  and  are  never 
once  favoured  with  the  sun-shine  of   genuine,  spiritual  truth. 
When  they  look  into  the  page  of  revelation,  they  can  of  course 
discern  nothing  but  shadoivs  a,wl  darkness,  the  mere  appearances 


^2  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

of  truth  in  the  letter  of  the  Word,  having  not  the  least  suspicion 
that  any  other  sense  can  possibly  attach  to  the  expressions,  than 
that  which  they  find  clinging  to  their  surface. 

But  there  is  also  a  superior  kind  or  degree  of  rationality,  which 
truly  deserves  the  name  of  reason,  because  it  is  enlightened  with 
tlie  pure  beams  of  light  from  heaven.  This  is  that  higher  state  of 
intellectual  perception,  to  which  the  former  degree  is  only  intro- 
ductory and  subservient,  when  not  set  in  opposition  to  it  by  fal- 
lacious reasonings  and  erroneous  conclusions.  And  it  is  in  the 
exercise  of  this  faculty,  free  from  the  shackles  of  nature,  matter, 
time,  and  space,  that  we  are  conducted  by  revelation  to  the  tem- 
ple of  wisdom  itself,  where  we  behold  things  unutterable  and  in- 
comprehensible to  the  mere  natural  man,  but  perfectly  clear  and 
satisfactory  to  the  spiritual  man. 

But  if  the  Unitarian  doctrine,  wliich  totally  denies  the  divinity 
of  Jesus  Chbist,  is  found  to  be  opposed  to  sound  reason,  as  well 
as  to  the  genuine  sense  of  revelation  ;  is  the  Trinitarian  system, 
■which  allows  to  Jesus  a  participation  in  divinity  with  two  other 
supposed  clainumts,  calculated  to  clear  up  all  the  doubts,  which 
have  arisen  in  the  church  concerning  his  person  and  character  ? 
or  to  reconcile  the  Scriptures  either  with  themselves,  or  with  the 
common  sense  of  mankind  ^  Most  assuredly  it  is  not ;  as  we 
have  already  in  many  parts  of  this  work  sufficiently  demonstrat- 
ed. Even  the  passages  before  cited,  in  this  article,  will  make  no- 
thing in  favour  of  Trinitarians,  but  on  the  contrary  will  fasten 
upon  them  their  own  absurdity  in  imagining  two  or  three  divine 
persons  as  necessary  to  the  unity  of  God,  when  one  divine  person 
alone  is  so  much  better  calculated  to  give  it.  By  them  it  is  ad- 
mitted, that  Jesus,  in  right  of  that  divinity,  which  he  had  in  com- 
Inon  with  the  Father  and  the  Holy  Ghost  from  all  eternity,  may 
keep  and  commission  angels  to  perform  his  will,  whensoever  he 
pleases.  And  yet  it  is  perhaps  not  agreed  on  all  sides  among 
Trinitarians  themselves,  whether  each  of  the  divine  persons  has, 
or  has  not,  an  order  or  class  of  angels  to  attend  upon  him,  sepa- 
rately and  distinctly  from  those  of  tlic  other  two  persons  :  though 
it  might  possibly  be  so  inferred  from  the  expressions  his  angel 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  33a 

and  mine  angel^  applied  respectively  to  the  Lord  God  and  to 
Jesus.  ^ 

But  allowing,  for  argument's  sake,  that  Jesus  is  a  person  dif- 
ferent from  him  who  is  called  the  Lord  God  of  the  holy  pro- 
phets, and  that  He  sent  one,  angel  to  John,  while  the  Lord  God 
sent  another  ;  how  does  this  view  of  the  subject  agree  with  what 
is  said  in  the  very  first  verse  of  the  first  chapter  of  the  Apoca- 
lypse ?  in  chap.  xvii.  1  ?  and  in  chap.  xxi.  9  ?  From  which  places 
compared  with  the  above  it  appears,  that  the  angel,  who  attended 
upon  John,  was  one  and  the  same  from  first  to  last. 

Again,  on  the  supposition,  repeated  a  second  time,  that  Jesus  is 
a  person  different  from  the  Lord  God  of  the  holy  prophets,  then, 
according  to  the  Trinitarian  scheme,  the  Lord  God  here  men- 
tioned must  either  be  the  first  person  in  the  Trinity,  or  the  last  ^ 
must  either  be  the  Father,  or  the  Holy  Ghost  :  but  which  of 
them,  we  are  at  liberty  to  guess  for  ourselves.  Well,  then,  we 
will  for  the  present  take  him  to  be  the  Father,  because  he  is  else- 
where called  the  Lord  God  Almighty,  who  Avas,  who  is,  and 
who  is  to  come ;  and  because  he  is  also  said  to  be  the  person,  that 
sits  upon  the  throne.  In  this  case  it  will  be  found,  that  the  Holy 
Ghost,  as  the  third  person  in  the  Godhead,  has  had  no  concern  at 
all  either  in  inditing  the  last  book  of  divine  revelation,  or  in  com- 
missioning any  angel  on  his  part  to  attend  John  while  in  the  spi- 
rit, and  to  instruct  him  on  the  subject  of  future  events.  This  must 
be  considered  as  rather  an  extraordinary  circumstance,  especially 
as  it  is  understood,  that  all  the  other  books  of  Scripture  were  giv- 
en by  the  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  "  For"  (says  the 
apostle  Peter)  "  the  prophecy  came  not  in  old  time  by  the  will  of 
"  man  ;  but  holy  men  of  God  spake  as  they  were  moved  by  the 
"  Holy  Spirit,"  2  Pet.  i.  21.  But  here  is  a  prophecy,  and  a  most 
important  one  too,  relative  to  the  future  state  of  the  Christian 
church,  it's  desolation  and  consummation,  and  after  that  a  new 
and  most  glorious  state  of  pure  and  genuine  Christianity,  than 
had  ever  before  existed  in  the  world ;  and  yet  not  a  word  is  men- 
tioned in  the  whole  of  it's  contents,  from  which  we  might  gather, 
either  that  it  was  indited  by  the  third  person  in  the  Trinity,  usual- 


534  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  UPS  OK 

ly  called  the  Holy  Ghost,  or  even  that  there  is  any  such  third 
person  at  all  in  being  ! 

It  is  true,  mention  is  made  of  the  Spirit  in  chap.  ii.  and  iii.  of 
the  Apocalypse  :  but  this  cannot  be  taken  for  a  third  person  in 
the  Trinity,  nor  indeed  for  any  thing  different  from  the  divine 
truth  proceeding  from  Jesus,  because  it  is  most  evident,  that  the 
things  spoken  by  the  Spirit  are  the  very  ivords  of  Jesus  himself, 
or  of  the  Son  of  Man  seen  in  the  midst  of  the  seven  golden  can- 
dlesticks, chap.  i.  13  to  20.  Nor  again  are  we  to  understand  any 
thing  else  by  the  Spirit  mentioned  in  chap.  xxii.  17,  than  the  an- 
gelic heaven,  as  receptive  of  the  divine  truth  above  described, 
which  unites  with  the  church  on  earth,  called  the  New  Jerusa- 
lem, and  also  the  bride,  in  ardent  prayer  for  the  Lord's  second 
and  last  advent,  saying,"  Come  ;  even  so,  come,  Lord  Jesus," 
ver.  17,  20. 

But  again,  (to  give  the  Trinitarians  every  chance  of  supporting 
their  scheme,  by  looking  at  it  in  every  direction,  and  in  every 
posture  which  it  can  assume,)  on  the  supposition,  repeated  a  third 
time,  that  Jesus  is  a  person  different  from  the  Lord  God  of  the 
holy  prophets ;  and  on  the  further  supposition  that  this  Lord  God 
is,  not  the  first  person,  but  the  third,  in  order  of  the  Trinity ; 
then  it  will  follow,  that  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  the  Father,  is  the 
person,  who  is  all  along  described  as  sitting  upon  the  throne  of 
heaven,  having  assumed  a  name  and  title,  heretofore  by  universal 
consent  given  to  the  Father  ;  while  the  Father  himself,  ex- 
changing places  and  offices  with  the  third  person  of  the  Trinity, 
is  either  supposed  to  be  waiting  in  silence  near  the  throne,  or 
else  to  have  been  totally  forgotten  in  all  the  great  scenes  which 
passed  in  heaven ! 

There  is  still,  however,  another  view  of  the  subject,  which  may 
be  taken  by  a  Trinitarian  ;  and  in  this  we  will  endeavour  to  assist 
him,  as  far  as  we  are  able,  that,  while  he  gains  possession  of  the 
truth  in  part,  he  may  be  gradually  led  to  the  full  enjoyment  of  it, 
by  a  scriptural,  rational,  and  consistent  faith  in  the  sole  and  ex- 
clusive divinity  of  Jesus  Christ.  Let  the  Trinitarian  then  ad- 
mit that  the  Lord  God,  who  in  ver.  6  is  said  to  have  >ent  his  an' 
gel,  and  Jesus,  who  in  ver.  16  is  also  said  to  have  f^ent  his  angel, 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  535 

ihay  still  be  one  and  the  same  divine  person,  especially  as  the 
end,  for  which  they  were  sent,  appears  to  be  one  and  the  same ; 
then  how  easy  will  it  be  for  him  to  fix  himself  on  this  rock  of  di- 
vine truth,  as  upon  a  basis,  from  which  he  will  never  depart !  He 
will  then  be  prepared  to  see,  that,  as  Jesus  is  thus  acknowledged 
to  be  both  God  and  Man  in  one  divine  person,  there  cannot  exist 
the  shadow  of  a  necessity  for  supposing  any  more  than  one  ;  since 
all  the  purposes  of  creation,  redemption,  and  salvation,  must  be 
infinitely  better  performed  by  one  divine  person,  than  by  three. 
And  seeing  this,  he  will  in  an  instant  perceive,  that  all  those 
passages  in  the  Revelation,  and  in  other  parts  of  the  Sacred  Scrip- 
tures, which  speak  of  the  Lord  God  Almighty  and  the  Lamb, 
of  God  and  Christ,  of  the  Father  and  the  Son,  are  to  be  under- 
stood solely  in  reference  to  the  Essential  Divinity  and  the  Di- 
vine Humanity  in  the  single  person  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Je- 
sus Christ. 

Thus  all  the  difficulties  and  apparent  discordances  relative  to 
the  person  and  character  of  Jesus,  which  have  heretofore  occa- 
sioned so  much  controversy  and  contention  in  the  church,  will  al- 
together vanish  from  the  sight ;  and  the  truth  of  revelation,  but 
particularly  that  of  the  Divine  Unity  and  the  Divine  Trinity  in 
our  Lord,  like  the  soul,  the  body,  and  the  proceeding  operation  in 
man,  will  shine  forth  with  a  new  lustre,  will  carry  with  it  a  new 
power,  and  will  become  in  the  hearts  of  all  who  embrace  it  a  new 
source  of  joy,  peace,  and  everlasting  felicity. 


CONCLUSION. 

HAVING  undertaken,  in  this  work,  to  seal  the  lips  both  of 
Unitarians  and  Trinitarians,  that  is,  to  silence  them  as  to  any  ef- 
fectual opposition,  which  they  can  make  against  the  exclusive  di- 
vinity of  Jesus  Christ,  either  by  rational  argument,  or  by  a  con- 
sistent view  of  revelation,  the  Seal  affixed  upon  them  shall  be 
considered  as  unbroken,  until  they  can  fairly  extricate  themselves 


336  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

from  the  dilemma,  to  which  they  are  respectively  reduced,  and 
at  the  same  time  clearly  disprove  the  testimony  now  brought 
forward  liom  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  together  with  the  reflections 
and  observations  arising  out  of  that  testimony,  in  proof  of  the  doc- 
trine here  advanced.  It  will  not  be  enough  for  them  to  cite  this 
passage,  or  the  other  passage,  or  indeed  any  number  of  passages, 
from  the  Word,  and  to  set  them  in  opposition  to  those  produced 
in  the  present  work  s  for  this  may  be  done  in  favour  of  any  doc- 
trine, however  absurd  and  preposterous  in  itself:  but  the  true 
meaning  of  the  whole  must  be  consulted  ;  and  it  must  be  made  to 
appear,  that  the  sense  put  upon  them,  whether  it  be  by  Unitarians 
or  Trinitarians,  is  in  perfect  harmony  with  the  other  parts  of  re- 
velation, and  especially  with  those  which  ascribe  omniscience, 
omnipotence,  and  omnipresence,  with  other  divine  perfections,  to 
Jesus  Christ,  and  which  (in  our  view  at  least)  identify  him  as 
One  with  the  Father,  as  One  with  Jehovah,  and  consequently 
as  the  One  Only  God  of  Heaven  and  Earth. 

But  as  this  would  be  to  annul  their  own  sentiments  concerning 
the  person  of  Jesus,  it  is  not  to  be  expected,  that  they  will  be  able 
to  see  this  great  truth  in  the  same  light  as  we  do  :  and  therefore 
in  all  probability  they  will  be  under  the  necessity  of  having  re- 
course to  the  old  plea  of  ^^  highly  figurative  language  ;^'  or  of 
"  some  error  in  the  text ;"  or  of  a  mysterious  "  co-equality  in  di- 
"  vine  majesty''^  between  two  or  more  persons  in  the  Godhead  ;  or, 
in  short,  to  any  shift,  rather  than  come  to  the  plain  and  honest 
confession  of  the  sole  divinity  of  Jesus  Christ.  In  either  case 
the  arguments  so  fairly  stated,  and  so  frequently  urged,  in  the 
preceding  pages,  would  by  such  a  procedure  be  completely  evad- 
ed ;  and  consequently  they  would  still  remain  in  their  full  force, 
as  well  against  the  worshippers  of  God  in  three  divine  forms,  as 
against  those  who  acknowledge  him  in  no  form  at  all. 

As  already  observed,  we  profess  in  our  title-page  to  stop  the 
mouths  of  gainsayers,  by  setting  a  Seal  upon  the  lips  of  Unita- 
rians, Trinitarians,  and  all  others,  who  refuse  to  acknowledge  the 
sole,  supreme,  and  exclusive  divinity  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ.  But  it  may  be  asked.  What  others  are  there, 
professors  of  Christianity,  to  whom  this  work  may  be  said  to  be 


^UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  33r 

addressed,  and  who,  as  fit  subjects  within  the  reach  of  our  arm, 
may  be  considered  as  liable  to  have  their  mouths  stopped.,  or  their 
lips  sealed  ?  We  answer  as  follows.  In  a  general  point  of  view, 
it  is  admitted,  that  Trinitarians  and  Unitarians  make  up  the  great 
bulk  of  what  is  called  the  Christian  cliurch ;  besides  whom,  we 
can  hardly  conceive  of  any  others  M'ithin  it's  pale,  unless  we  raise 
into  a  new  and  distinct  name  some  few,  who  walk  in  the  mid-way 
between  the  two  former,  that  is,  between  the  worshippers  of  God 
in  three  divine  persons  or  forms,  and  the  worshippers  of  God  in. 
only  one  divine  person  or  form,  or  rather  (as  they  themselves  ex- 
press it)  without  any  form  at  all  J  The  few  professors  here  alluded 
to  are  those,  who,  observing  a  kind  of  chasm  that  requires  to  be  fill- 
ed up,  or  stage  to  be  occupied,  between  the  Unitarian  doctrine  of 
one  divine  person  and  the  'Ij'.initarian  doctrine  of  three  such  per- 
sons, jump  at  once  into  it,  by  denying  the  personality  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  yet  retaining  every  other  point  of  doctrine  which  is 
common  with  Trinitarians.  Hence  they  may  be  properly  called 
Duallists,  from  their  acknowledging  only  two  divine  persons  in 
the  Godhead,  instead  of  three. 

Here  then  is  a  third  class,  to  be  added  to  the  other  two  classes, 
in  the  community  of  professing  Christians,  who,  though  differing 
with  each  other  in  various  subordinate  points  of  doctrine,  are  yet 
all  agreed  in  rejecting  the  exclusive  divinity  of  Jesus  Christ. 
"We  may  indeed  say,  they  have  each  contributed  their  full  share 
in  enabling  us  to  give  a.  finish  to  the  picture  of  modern  Christiani- 
ty, such  as  it  has  been  drawn  in  the  present  work ;  which,  after 
all,  is  not  intended  for  a  whole  length  portrait,  but  merely  as  a 
sketch  or  general  outline,  with  the  features  indeed  rather  strong- 
ly marked  on  the  canvass,  that  the  living  original  may  be  known 
and  distinguished  at  first  sight,  and  no  longer  pass  in  society  for 
what  she  really  is  not, — the  Bride  or  W^ife  of  the  Lamb. 

Reader,  examine  well  the  lines  of  her  visage  ;  be  not  deceived 
by  the  elegance  of  her  dress,  the  apparent  dignity  of  her  carriage, 
the  fascinating  pride  of  her  footstep,  or  the  melting  sweetness  of 
her  siren  song.  If  she  has  been  held  up  to  your  astonishment,  let 
her  not  isteal  away  your  admiration,  much  less  your  affection. 

IJt. 


338  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

Reserve  these,  and  with  them  your  whole  heart,  your  whole  soul, 
and  your  whole  strength,  for  Him,  who  is  alone  the  pattern  of 
every  perfection,  alone  the  source  of  every  genuine  good  ;  and 
who  therefore  is  alone  entitled  to  your  supreme  love,  in  return  for 
all  the  blessings,  which  Jiis  hands  have  bestowed.  This  great  Ob- 
ject, so  worthy  of  eternal  and  unceasing  regard,  is  no  other  than 
the  Divine  Man  Jesus  Chuist,  besides  whom  there  never  did 
exist,  nor  ever  can  exist,  either  in  heaven  or  on  earth,  any  other 
Loud,  any  other  God,  any  otlier  Saviour,  nor  consequently  any 
other  Father,  Friend,  and  Protector  of  the  human  race. 

Under  the  fullest  conviction,  that  the  doctrine,  which  we  have 
been  endeavouring  to  set  forth,  is  the  genuine,  undoubted  sense 
of  the  Holy  Scriptures  from  beginning  to  end ;  and  firmly  be- 
lieving, that  the  more  it  is  made  known  and  received  in  the 
world,  the  greater  will  be  the  increase  of  virtue  and  happiness 
among  men,  we  cannot  help  most  earnestly  recommending  it  to 
the  notice  of  the  public  in  general,  as  the  first  step  towards  a  ra' 
dical  change,  or  reformation,  not  of  manners  only,  but  of  interior 
principles  of  life,  and  consequently  as  the  first  gift  of  heaven, 
Avhich  leads  the  way  to  the  enjoyment  of  every  other  blessing. 
For  as  in  ancient  times,  in  the  midst  of  the  spreading  idolatries 
of  the  earth,  the  knowledge  and  worsliip  of  the  Lord  Jehovih, 
that  is,  of  Jehovah  about  to  come  into  the  world,  was  tlie  only 
security  to  the  people  of  Israel  against  the  power  of  tlieir  ene- 
mies ',  so  in  the  present  day,  in  the  miilst  of  idolatries  similar  in 
their  internal  form  to  those  whicli  surrounded  Israel,  the  true  ac- 
knowledgment and  worship  of  Jesus  Christ  alone  as  the  same 
Lord  Jehovih,  but  now  incarnate  in  a  Divinely-Human  Form. 
is  the  only  sure  safe-guard  and  protection  against  calamities  of 
every  description,  to  nations,  societies,  and  individuals. 

Deeply  impressed  with  the  truth  and  importance  of  this  senti- 
ment, we  have  considered  it  a  duty  to  be  plain,  open,  and  candid, 
in  all  our  remarks  upon  doctrines  of  a  contrary  tendency,  ho- 
nestly endeavouring  to  seal  or  close  the  lips  of  gainsayers,  in  or- 
der that  tlw  name,  tlie  divine  name  of  Jesus  may  alone  be  ho- 
noured, his  voice  alone  be  heard,  and  his  blessed  will  alone  be 


,  UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  339 

none  on  earth,  even  as  it  is  done  in  heaven.  And  if  either  by 
the  title  of  our  work,  or  by  the  manner  and  siririt  of  it's  execu- 
tion, we  have  unintentionally  excited  the  displeasure  of  any  one 
of  our  readers,  we  beg  him  to  remember  what  we  stated  in  our 
Preface,  viz.  that  we  consider  the  erroneous  sentiments  of  a  man 
as  distinguishable  from  the  man  himself  ^  and  that,  while  we  ex- 
ercise all  freedom  in  opposing  the  former,  we  yet  trust  that  we 
still  entertain  the  greatest  respect  and  esteem  for  the  latter. 

After  making  this  apology,  therefore,  for  all  the  slips  of  our 
pen,  and  for  all  the  errors  and  imperfections  discoverable  in  our 
treatment  of  the  various  subjects  discussed,  we  now  close  this 
v/ork,  resting  it  for  authority,  and  for  support,  solely  upon  the 
Word  of  divine  truth  ;  against  the  genuine  sense  of  which,  ag 
here  laid  down,  the  Atheist,  the  Deist,  the  Materialist  or  Natu« 
ralist,  the  Tri-personalist  also,  as  well  as  the  Duallist,  and  the 
Unitarian  Theist,  m^j  in  various  ways  contend,  but  shall  yet  ne- 
ver— never  prevail.  For  "  in  the  days  of  these  kings  shall  the 
"  God  of  heaven  set  up  a  kingdom,  which  shall  never  be  destroy  f 
*'  ed:  and  the  kingdom  shall  not  be  left  to  other  people,  but  it 
"  shall  break  in  pieces,  and  consume  all  these  kingdoms,  and  it 
"  shall  stand  for  erer,"  Dan.  ii.  44.  Moreover,  "  I  saw  in  the 
"  night  visions,  and  behold.  One  like  the  Son  of  Man  came  with 
"  the  clouds  of  heaven,  and  came  to  the  Ancient  of  Days  ;  and 

"  they  brought  him  near  before  him  ;" so  near,  that  both  were 

identified  as  one  and  the  same  Divine  Person. "  And  there 

"  was  given  him  dominion,  and  glory,  and  a  kingdom,  that  all 
"  people,  nations,  and  languages,  should  serve  him :  his  domi- 
<'  nion  is  an  everlasting  dominion,  which  shall  not  pass  away,  and 
"  his  kingdom  that  which  shall  pot  be  destroyed,"  Dan.  vii^ 
13,  14. 


g40  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

Conchiding  Testimonies  from  the  Sacred  Scrittures,  iw 
Proof  of  the  sole,  supreme,  and  exclusive  Divinity  of  our 
Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 

1.  "  Behold,  a  virgin  shall  conceive,  and  bear  a  Son,  and  shall 

"  call  liis  name  Immanuel,"  Isa.  vii.  14. "  Now  the  birth 

»'  of  Jesus  Christ  was  on  this  wise  :  When  as  his  mother  Mary 
"  was  espoused  to  Joseph,  before  they  came  together,  she  was 
<'  found  with  child  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Then  Joseph  her  husband 
"  being  a  just  man,  and  not  willing  to  make  her  a  public  example, 
*'  was  minded  to  put  her  away  privily.  But  while  he  thought  on 
"  these  things,  behold,  the  angel  of  the  Lord  appeared  unto  him 
''  in  a  dream,  saying,  Joseph,  thou  son  of  David,  fear  not  to  take 
*'  unto  thee  Mary  thy  Avife  :  for  that  which  is  conceived  in  her,  is 
"  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  And  she  shall  bring  forth  a  Son,  and  thou 
"  shalt  call  his  name  Jesus  :  for  he  shall  save  his  people  from 
*•  their  sins.  Now  all  this  was  done,  that  it  might  be  fulfilled 
*'  which  was  spoken  of  the  Lord  by  the  prophet,  saying,  Behold, 
"  a  virgin  shall  be  with  child,  and  shall  bring  forth  a  Son,  and 
"  they  shall  call  his  name  Emmanuel,  which  being  interpreted  is*, 
*'  God  with  us,"  Matt.  i.  18  to  '23. 

2.  "  Unto  lis  a  Child  is  born,  unto  us  a  Son  is  given,  and  the 
"  government  shall  be  upon  liis  shoulder  :  and  his  name  shall  be 
"  called  Wonderful,  Counsellor,  the  Mighty  God,  the  Ever- 
"  LASTING  Father,  the  Prince  or  Peace,"  Isa.  ix.  6. 

3.  "  The  voice  of  him  that  crieth  in  the  wilderness,  Prepare 
"  ye  the  way  of  Jehovah,  make  straight  in  the  desert  a  highway 

"  for  OUR  God,"  Isa.  xl.  3. John  said,  "  I  am  the  voice  of 

"  one  crying  in  the  wilderness.  Make  straight  the  way  of  the 
"  Lord,  as  said  the  prophet  Esaias.  But  there  standeth  One 
"  among  you,  whom  ye  know  not :  He  it  is,  who  coming  after  me 
"  is  preferred  before  me,  whose  shoes'  latchet  I  am  not  worthy  to 
'•  tinloose.  And  I  knew  him  not :  but  that  he  should  be  made 
'<  manifest  to  Israel,  therefore  am  I  come  baptizing  with  water," 
Jahn  i.  23,  26,27,  31. 

4.  "  Behold,  the  Lord  Jehovih  will  come  with  strong  hand, 
''  aud  his  arm  shall  rule  for  him.     He  shall  feed  his  flock  like  a 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  341 

'♦  Shepherd:  he  shall  gather  the  lambs  with  his  arm,  and  carry 
"  them  in  his  bosom,  and  shall  gently  lead  those  that  are  with 
"  young,"  Isa.  xl.  10,  11.     "  Jehovah  is  my  Shepherd,  I  shall 

"  not   want,"  Ps.  xxiii.    1. Jesus  said,  "  /  am  the  good 

"  Shepherd :  my  sheep  hear  my  voice,  and  I  know  them,  and 
"  they  follow  me :  and  I  give  unto  them  eternal  /(/"«,"  John  x.  11, 
14,  27,  28. 

5.  *'  Thus  saith  Jehovah  that  created  thee,  O  Jacob,  and  he 
*'  that  formed  thee,  O  Israel,  Fear  not ;  for  I  have  redeemed  thee. 
■*'  I  am  Jehovah  thy  God,  the  Holy  One  of  Israel,  thy  Saviour. 
"  I,  even  1,  am  Jehovah;  and  beside  me  there  is  no  Saviour,^* 

Isa.  xliii.  1,3,  11. "  And  the  angel  said  unto  them.  Fear 

"  not;  for  behold,  I  bring  you  good  tidings  of  great  joy,  which 
"  shall  be  to  all  j)eoj)le.  For  unto  you  is  born  this  day,  in  the 
''  city  of  David,  a  Saviour,  which  is  Christ  the  Lord,"  Luke 
ii.  10,  11. 

6.  Thus  saith  Jehovah,  "  Look  unto  me,  and  be  ye  saved,  all 
^^  the  ends  of  the  earth :  for  I  am  God,  and  there  is  none  else,^^ 

Isa.  xlv.  22. Thus  saith  Jesus,    "  Come  unto  me,  all  ye 

"  that  labour,  and  are  heavy-laden;  and  I  will  give  you  rest,''' 
Matt.  xi.  28. 

7.  "  Thy  Maker  is  thine  Husband ;  Jehovah  of  hosts  is  his 

^'  name,"  Isa.  liv.   5. ■ — "  Let  us  be  glad  and  rejoice;    for 

*>^  the  marriage  of  the  Lamb  is  come,  and  his  wife  hath  made 
"  herself  ready,"  Apoc.  xix.  7.  See  also  Matt.  ix.  15.  John 
iii.  29. 

8.  "  Cry  out  and  shout,  thou  inhabitant  of  Zion ;  for  great  is 
"  the  Holy  One  of  Israel  in  the  midst  of  thee,''^  Isa.  xii.  6.  "  I 
"  am  God,  and  not  mati,  the  Holy  One  in  the  midst  of  thee,"  Hos. 
xi.  9.  "  The  King  of  Israel,  even  Jehovah,  is  in  the  midst  of 
*'  thee,"  Zeph.  iii.  15.  "  Sing  and  rejoice,  0  daughter  of  Zion  : 
for  lo,  I  come,  and  Iicill  dwell  in  the  midst  of  thee,  saith  Jeho- 

*■'  VAH,"  Zech.  ii.   10. Jesus  said,  "  Where  two  or  three 

"  are  gathered  together  in  my  name,  there  am  I  in  the  midst  of 
*•  them,"  Matt,  xviii.  20.  And  again,  "  Lo,  /  am  with  you  al- 
"f  ivay  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world,"  Matt,  xxviii.  20. 


34£  A  SEAL  UPON  THE  LIPS  OF 

9.  "  I  Jehovah  search  the  hearty  ^^''i/  t^'^  reins,  even  to  give 
><  every  man  according  to  his  ways,  and  according  to  the  fruit  of 
"  his  doings,''^  Jer.  xvii.  10.     "  The  righteous  God  trieth  the 

«  hearts  and  the  reins,'"  Ps.  vii.  9.' .Jesus  saith,  "  Jam  He 

"  ivho  searcheth  the  reins  and  hearts:  and  I  iv ill  give  unto  every 
"  one  of  you  according  to  your  ivorks,''^  Apoc.  ii.  25.  , 

10.  "  Jesus  said  unto  the  sick  of  the  palsy,  Son,  thy  sins  he 
*'  forgiven  thee.  But  there  were  certain  of  the  scribes  sitting 
"  there,  and  reasoning  in  their  hearts,  Who  can  forgive  sins,  but 
«  God  only?^^     Mark  ii.  5  to  7.     Luke  v.  20,  21.     Matt.  ix.  2. 

11.  "  Jesus  spake  unto  his  disciples,  saying,  Ml  power  is  given 
'•'  unto  me  in  heaven  and  inearth,'^'  Matt,  xxviii.  18. 

12.  "  In  the  beginning  was  the  Word,  and  the  Word  was  with 
'•  God,  and  God  was  the  Word.  He  was  in  the  world,  and  the 
"  world  was  made  by  him,  a.r\d  the  world  knew  him  not.  And  the 
"  Word  was  made  flesh,  and  dwelt  among  us.  John  bare  witness 
"  of  him,  and  cried,  saying,  This  was  he,  of  whom  I  spake.  He 
*•  that  cometh  after  me,  is  preferred  befoire  me  ;  for  he  was  before 
"  wf,"  John  i.  1,  10,  14,  15. 

-  13.  "  As  the  Father  hath  life  in  himself,  so  hath  he  given  to 
"  the  Son  to  have  life  in  himself,-^  John  v.  26. 

14.  "  Jesus  said  unto  the  Jews,  Verily  veiily  I  say  unto  you, 
"  Before  Mraham  was,  I  am,''''  John  viii.  58. 

15.  Jesus  said,  "  I  and  my  Father  are  One,''^  John  x.  30. 

16.  "  Jesus  saith,  I  am  the  way,  and  the  truth,  and  the  /i/e," 
John  xiv.  6. 

17.  Jesus  saith,  "  If  ye  had  knov/n  Me,  ye  would  have  known 
••  my  Father  also  :  and  from  henceforth  ye  know  him,  and  have 
"  seen  him.  Philip  saith  unto  him,  Lord,  shew  us  the  Father, 
"  and  it  sufficeth  us.  Jesus  saith  unto  him,  Have  /  been  so  long 
"  time  with  you,  and  yet  hast  thou  not  known  Me,  Pliilip  ?  he 
"  that  hath  seen  Me,  hath  seen  the  Father  ;  and  how  sayest 
»'  thou  then,  Sliew  us  the  Father  .^"  John  xiv.  7  to  9. 

18.  Jesus  said  to  his  disciples,  "  Without  me  ye  can  do  no- 
«'  thing,'^  John  xv.  5. 

19.  Jesus  saith,  ^^Ml  things  that  the  Father  hath,  are  mine,"*^ 
John  xvi.  15. 


UNITARIANS,  TRINITARIANS,  &c.  343 

£0.  "  Jesus  breathed  on  his  disciples,  and  saitli  unto  them,  Re- 
"  ceive  ye  the  Holy  Spirit,^^  John  xx.  22. 

21.  "  Thomas  answered  and  said  unto  Jesus,  My  Lord,  and 
«  my  God,'^  Jolin  xx.  28.  And  this  ac!:nowIedgment  of  Thomas 
is  graciously  received  and  approved  by  Jesus,  ver.  29. 

22.  "  /  am  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  beginnivg  and  the  ending, 
*'  saith  the  Lord,  who  is,  and  who  ivas,  r.nd  wlio  is  to  come,  the 
*'  Mmighty.  I  was  in  the  spirit  on  the  Lord's  day,  and  heard 
*'  behind  me  a  great  voice,  as  of  a  trumpet,  saying,  7  am  Alpha 
"  and  Omega,  the  First  and  the  Last.  And  I  turned  to  see  the 
"  voice  that  spake  ivith  me.  And  being  turned,  I  saw  One  like 
"  unto  the  Son  of  Man,"  Apoc.  i.  8,  10  to  13.  See  also  chap, 
xxi.  6  ;  and  chap.  X5ui.  13. 

23.  "  I  saw  in  the  midst  of  the  seven  candlesticks  One  like 
"  unto  the  Son  of  Man,  clothed  with  a  garment  down  to  the  foot, 
"  and  girt  about  the  paps  with  a  golden  girdle.  His  head  and  his 
"  hairs  were  white  like  wool,  as  white  as  snow;  and  his  eyes  were 
"  as  a  flame  of  fire  ;  and  his  feet  like  unto  fine  brass,  as  if  they 
"  burned  in  a  furnace  ;  and  his  voice  as  the  sound  of  many  w^ 
"  ters.  And  he  had  in  his  right  hand  seven  stars  :  and  out  of  his 
^'  mouth  went  a  sharp  two-edged  sword  :  and  his  countenance  was 
"  as  the  sun  shineth  in  his  strength.  And  when  I  saw  him,  I  fell 
"  at  his  feet  as  dead :  and  he  laid  his  right  hand  upon  me,  saying 
"  unto  me,  Fear  not;  lam  the  First  and  the  Last :  I  am  he  that 
"  liveth,  and  was  dead :  and  behold,  /  am  alive  for  evermore, 
"  Amen,"  Apoc.  i.  13  to  18. 

24.  "  And  the  Lord  God  of  the  holy  prophets  sent  his  angel 
"  to  shew  unto  his  servants  the  things  which  must  shortly  be 

"  done. 1  Jesus  have  sent  mine  angel  to  testify  unto  you  these 

"  things  in  the  churches,"  Apoc.  xxii.  6, 16,. 


FINIS. 


y* 


